BALOGUNGATE : L'UEFA accuse la FIFA d'avoir « franchi une ligne rouge »
UEFA strongly criticized FIFA on Monday following the world governing body's decision to suspend, on a probationary basis for one year, the automatic one-match ban imposed on American striker Folarin Balogun after his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina. In an official statement, the European organization asserted that this measure has no legal basis whatsoever in football's regulations.
Football, UEFA reminds us in this text, "is based on rules," the foundations of a "fair, honest, and transparent" competition. While some of these rules may be open to interpretation, "that is not the case here," the governing body insists, for whom the automatic one-match minimum suspension following a red card "is not a discretionary option" and does not "require a decision from a competent body to be implemented." This principle, enshrined in the regulations, "cannot be subject to exceptions," especially during a tournament, given that "several other players have found themselves in the same situation" and served their suspensions without issue.
UEFA goes further, raising concerns about the systemic consequences of such a decision on the integrity of the competition. When the certainty of the rules is no longer guaranteed by those responsible for their enforcement, "the integrity of the game is threatened and the credibility of the competition compromised." The governing body also fears a precedent for the rest of the tournament, where similar situations "will now require identical treatment," to the detriment of the competition.
From a regulatory standpoint, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee relied on Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, which allows for adjustments to the execution of certain sanctions. Balogun would only serve his suspension if he were to commit a similar offense within a year. FIFA presents this as a provision that is not unprecedented, as Cristiano Ronaldo has already benefited from it in the past.
The controversy, however, extends beyond the realm of sports. According to sources cited by AFP, FIFA's intervention followed a phone call from US President Donald Trump to Gianni Infantino, which occurred on the very day of the red card. Trump even praised the decision on his Truth Social network, thanking FIFA for having "righted a great injustice."
The Royal Belgian Football Association, whose national team faces the United States tonight in the round of 16, expressed its "astonishment." It mentioned the possibility of an appeal, while the Red Devils' coach, Rudi Garcia, joked that the decision made July 5th an "April Fool's joke." The Norwegian coach, Ståle Solbakken, also denounced it as a "very bad decision," questioning the fate of future red cards in the tournament.
On the American side, however, the news was welcomed. Coach Mauricio Pochettino deemed the initial sanction disproportionate, while striker Christian Pulisic hailed it as a "boost" for his team.
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