Belgian Soccer Officials Appeal Balogun Ruling
On Monday, Belgian soccer officials were given the go-ahead to appeal a recent decision that lifted the suspension of USMNT star Folarin Balogun, just hours before a match between the two nations in Seattle.
Executives from the European federation expressed surprise over the ruling’s reversal and have officially stated their intent to appeal. Sources familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity, disclosed this information.
This appeal will be heard by members of the FIFA Appeals Committee, who are not affiliated with UEFA or CONCACAF.
Both Belgian and U.S. soccer coaches were instructed to submit their applications by 5 a.m. PT on Monday to prepare for the hearing.
A decision could come before the knockout stage matches commence, but it seems Belgian football authorities haven’t been given any guarantees on the outcome.
It remains uncertain whether Balogun’s suspension will be reinstated through this appeal.
Balogun, at 25 years old, received a red card during a 2-0 victory for the USMNT over Bosnia due to a foul deemed serious by the video assistant referee.
The on-field referee did not initially call a foul against Bosnian defender Tarik Mujaremović but later reviewed the play on a monitor.
This move sparked controversy, as the slow-motion replay exaggerated the foul’s severity compared to the real-time view. Critics noted there was no clear intent from Balogun, who appeared to have limited options for his next step.
U.S. Soccer has claimed the VAR protocol was improperly executed, sources indicated.
“A legal appeal has been submitted to FIFA,” one source reported, adding that preparations were ready for a legal challenge.
It was mentioned that the U.S. government, including former President Trump, directly reached out to FIFA President Gianni Infantino following Wednesday’s match.
The appeals process is overseen by an independent panel; however, U.S. officials contributed “additional evidence” during the review.
“Ultimately, we achieved the correct result,” an official noted.
The Trump administration criticized the use of slow-motion replays that led to Balogun’s suspension, claiming it breached FIFA regulations.
FIFA referenced Article 27 of its Disciplinary Law, which allows for the suspension of disciplinary measures by the judicial body.
This article stipulates that suspending enforcement grants the sanctioned individual a probation period of one to four years.
After the announcement, Trump lauded FIFA’s choice on social media, thanking them for reversing what he called an “injustice.” His close relationship with Infantino ahead of the World Cup has been noted.
This marks the first instance since 1962 that FIFA has annulled a suspension.
Belgian head coach Rudi Garcia expressed disbelief at the decision, quipping that July 5th felt more like April Fool’s Day for the World Cup.
Norway’s coach, Starre Solbakken, opined that overturning Balogun’s suspension was a “big mistake by FIFA,” stressing that a red card from VAR should lead to a suspension.
