UEFA go to war with FIFA over Folarin Balogun red card in scathing statement

UEFA has strongly condemned FIFA's decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's red card, insisting it 'crossed a red line'.

Balogun was sent off in a controversial VAR decision in the USA's 2-0 World Cup win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32, and had been due to serve an automatic one-match ban.

This would have seen the striker miss the USMNT's round of 16 clash with Belgium, which takes place on Tuesday morning.

However, in a hugely controversial decision, the striker has been cleared to play after US President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ask for the suspension to be reviewed.

The move has sparked huge uproar, withthe Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was ‘astonished’ by the move to suspend the ban, and was 'investigating all potential options'.

The Belgian federation will now formally write to FIFA to appeal the matter, and reserve the right to also lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), talkSPORT understands.

Telling statement

Now, European football's governing body, UEFA, has joined the authorities to slam FIFA's decision, releasing a furious statement.

It read: "Yesterday's decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year the implementation of the one-match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Folarin Balogun crossed a red line.

"Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition.

"Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not.

"A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted. It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension.

"When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined.

"Equally, such decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition.

"Football is the most loved sport in the world because it is a beautiful game and is trusted because it is played everywhere with the same laws.

"A tournament is never a pure standalone and, if the tournament in question is the World Cup, it has the power to drive positive or negative consequences on the game as a whole.

"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."

Why was Folarin Balogun sent off?

Balogun has been one of the stars of the World Cup this summer, scoring three goals in four games so far for the USA.

His latest strike came in the 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, as he put Mauricio Pochettino's side in front on the stroke of half-time.

But Balogun was sent off in the 64th minute after catching Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic on the back of the ankle as he challenged for the ball.

Referee Raphael Claus didn't initially give a free-kick, but after play stopped with both players injured, he was sent to the VAR monitor.

The official was shown the incident in slow-motion, and the red was awarded.

Balogun was stunned by the decision, and appeared upset as he made his way off the field.

An automatic one-game ban followed and it's believed that USA were unable to launch an appeal, only for Trump's intervention to spark a U-turn on the decision.

FIFA cited article 27 of its rules in that case and again for Balogun, which allows them to 'fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure'.

This is the same surprise reprieve thatallowed Cristiano Ronaldo to start in Portugal's World Cup opener - despite being sent off for violent conduct andfacing a three-game ban for an elbow on Republic of Ireland defender Dara O'Shea.

Infantino told to resign

talkSPORT's Jeff Stelling slammed FIFA's decision to suspend Balogun's ban, and insisted president Infantino must resign after raising eyebrows by granting the US star a reprieve.

Stelling fumed on talkSPORT: “It's an absolute disgrace.

"People are missing the point when they say ‘it may not have been a red card’. That's irrelevant. It's how the authorities have gone about this.

“Gianni Infantino needs to resign. He needs to resign today.

“He's the man who came up with the great idea of the FIFA Peace Prize and gave it to his mate, Donald Trump.

“And of course his mate is the one who then tries to influence this decision and have this suspension overturned.

“His position's untenable. The smell of corruption allegations is particularly unpleasant. I mean, he lacks self-awareness, for goodness sake.

“He wants to be in the middle of every single shot of Champions Cup winners. Who's that in the middle? It’s Gianni Infantino.”

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