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the belgian FA has called the decision "astonishing"....

US President Donald Trump on Sunday thanked football's world governing body FIFA for suspending Falorin Balogun's ban that allows the US star striker to play against Belgium this week.

Balogun was given a straight red card during the Round of 32 match between the World Cup co-hosts and Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday for accidentally planting his studs high on a defender's ankle.

 

World Cup: Trump thanks FIFA for suspending Balogun's ban

Karl Sexton with AFP, AP, Reuters

US President Donald Trump reportedly called Gianni Infantino to ask him to lift Falorin Balogun's red card ban to allow him to play against Belgium. The Belgian FA has called the decision "astonishing."

Balogun's teammates and his coach, Mauricio Pochettino, had said the red card, which was given after an intervention by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), was harsh because the star striker had not intended to harm the defender.

According to the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which is known for determining the sport's laws, serious foul play is judged by the nature of a challenge and how dangerous it is — not by whether the player intended to cause injury.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday thanked football's world governing body FIFA for suspending Falorin Balogun's ban that allows the US star striker to play against Belgium this week.

Balogun was given a straight red card during the Round of 32 match between the World Cup co-hosts and Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday for accidentally planting his studs high on a defender's ankle.

Balogun's teammates and his coach, Mauricio Pochettino, had said the red card, which was given after an intervention by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), was harsh because the star striker had not intended to harm the defender.

According to the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which is known for determining the sport's laws, serious foul play is judged by the nature of a challenge and how dangerous it is — not by whether the player intended to cause injury.

What has FIFA said about suspending Balogun's ban?

FIFA rules say a red card triggers an automatic one-match suspension, which the player's team cannot appeal.

But on Sunday night, FIFA issued a statement saying Balogun's one-match ban was being "suspended for a probationary period of one year."

FIFA did not provide any further details about why it had taken the decision.

Balogun is the USA's leading scorer with three goals at the tournament so far, and his absence against Belgium on Monday would have dented their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Trump hails FIFA for 'reversing a great injustice'

FIFA's decision to suspend Balogun's ban came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had called for the red card to be rescinded, claiming the US had been "screwed."

Trump — who has enjoyed a close and public relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino — took to his Truth Social platform to welcome the decision: "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!"

The White House also celebrated the decision in a post on social media.

https://www.dw.com/en/world-cup-trump-thanks-fifa-for-suspending-baloguns-red-card-ban/a-77840972

 

======================

 

Jarell Quansah [HE DID NOT MEAN TO HARM ANYONE AND HE HIT THE BALL] was sent off in England's Round of 16 match against Mexico as Thomas Tuchel's decision to play him over Djed Spence backfired.

In the 53rd minute, Quansah came charging for the ball and slid with his studs up. And while the England star was able to get to the ball first, he did get a lot of Jesus Gallardo's left shin, causing the latter to crash to the ground in pain as the Mexican bench rose in anger with the reckless challenge. 

Originally, the players on the pitch kept playing on as Gallardo writhed in pain, causing the Mexican bench to approach England's bench as the two sides went at each other. With the two benches facing off against one another, the referee, Alireza Faghani, was forced to stop the match. 

 

• Thierry Henry reaction to Folarin Balogun news perfectly sums up USA scandal

 

• Neymar announces immediate retirement decision as World Cup career ends in tears

 

It was then that he and the officiating crew congregated to review Quansah's challenge. After a very quick review, the 23-year-old was shown a red card, immediately putting England at a disadvantage as they were forced to finish the rest of the match with only 10 men. 

Quansah became the first England player since 2006 to be sent off in the World Cup. Wayne Rooney was the last England star to be sent off, in a match 20 years ago against Portugal. 

With the match at 3-2 with less than 20 minutes remaining, Tuchel eventually brought Spence in at the 74th minute to focus primarily on defense, with Mexico constantly attacking and building momentum against the short-handed England squad. It was clear that the Mexican squad had all the energy as they continually pushed into the England box.

https://www.aol.com/articles/breaking-england-replacement-sent-off-022546000.html

 

TOON AT TOP... GUS THINKS THAT THE MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN THE WORLD [Gianni Infantino] SHOULD BE ASKED BY SOME ROYALTIES TO REMOVE THE RED CARD ON THE ENGLISH PLAYER.... 

 

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         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

         RABID ATHEIST.

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red joke....

 

World Cup 2026: Trump, FIFA and the Balogun controversy

Matt Pearson

One of the few certainties of World Cup football has been rocked after Donald Trump lobbied FIFA to overturn a US red card suspension. The decision has caused outrage but it isn't completely without precedent.

For a while, the football appeared to have taken over the politics at the 2026 World Cup. Cape Verde taking world champions Argentina to the wire, Paraguay knocking out Germany and Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe fighting it out for the top scorer's Golden Boot — the focus was on the pitch.

But just before Norway upset Brazil and England knocked out co-hosts Mexico in one of the tournament's best games, Donald Trump put his thumb on the World Cup scales. Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump confirmed widespread reports that he had asked football's global governors FIFA to review US striker Folarin Balogun's suspension after a red card in the round-of-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina because he "didn't think it was a foul".

"I thought it was two great athletes who crashed into each other and got entangled," said the 80-year-old.

"I think it [the suspension] would have left a big stain. I can't tell them what to do. I don't believe they made the decision; I believe it was the commission that made the decision. And it was the right decision."

His intervention appears to have led to FIFA ripping up the rulebook that bans red card appeals and say that the "automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year." FIFA cited Article 27, a broad provision that allows them to "fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure."

The decision was handed down a little more than 48 hours before the US are to face Belgium in the quarterfinals. Trump celebrated with a post on his Truth Social platform that read: "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!"

The close relationship between Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who created a FIFA Peace Prize to award Trump in December, has faced much scrutiny in the buildup to the tournament and will now come under the microscope again.

What has the US and Belgian reaction been to Balogun decision?

Belgium, as you might expect, are not happy. The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) responded with a strong statement of condemnation on Sunday, saying they were "astonished” by the decision.

"I didn't know that 5 July was equal to 1 April [April Fools' Day] at FIFA," joked a clearly angry Belgium coach Rudi Garcia in his prematch press conference.

On Monday, The Athletic reported that the RBFA had been granted the right to appeal the decision to a member of the FIFA appeals committee not associated with UEFA, Europe's football confederation, or the North American equivalent CONCACAF. The judgment on that appeal could land as late as 12 hours before the quarterfinal kicks off.

Later that day, the RBFA released a scathing statement. They claimed that FIFA had "refused to respond to the RBFA’s legitimate requests" for information on the ruling and that "while the RBFA was merely seeking legitimate explanations, FIFA itself created an appeal and immediately ensured that it would be declared inadmissible." The federation also promised to "continue to fight in the coming hours, days and months in defence of the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition, and the interests of football as a whole."

Garcia's opposing coach, Mauricio Pochettino, suggested issues had been "conflated" by those with an unspecified "agenda." 

"If anyone was harmed in this whole situation, it was the United States. Can anyone justify the idea that we weren't punished? I mean, playing 30 or 35 minutes a man down in a World Cup knockout match? It's not as if we're benefiting. Ultimately, we aren't victims, but we aren't the villains of this story either."

How has the rest of the football world reacted to FIFA's decision?

Those without skin in the game have, almost universally, backed the Belgian standpoint. The US are manifestly not the only side in the tournament frustrated by a call they believe is incorrect. UEFA, which is increasingly at loggerheads with FIFA, said the u-turn "crossed a red line" in a statement released on Monday.

Norway coach, Stale Solbakken, admonished Infantino's organization even before Trump's involvement became clear.

"It is a big mistake by FIFA. It is not a great conclusion. He got a red card and the VAR concluded that it was a red card. That means you are suspended for one game,” he said. "I think what is really bad about that situation is, if the USA beat Belgium, they will always have that extra thing about it. The Belgians will be furious."

The German FA, in the form of DFB President Bernd Neuendorf, called for an immediate clarification.

"The impression that there has been active political interference in sports must be dispelled swiftly and conclusively. The integrity of the competition and the credibility of FIFA are at stake," he said, calling on FIFA to clarify Trump's involvement.

His compatriot, England coach Thomas Tuchel, was among those who questioned whether this case now becomes a precedent.

"Where does this start and where does this end now? Can we overturn it or not overturn it? What's going on? Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. I have no answer to that," he said.

What could happen next in the Balogun case?

Pending the result of Belgium's appeal, Tuchel's questions will no doubt be among those considered by every federation left in the tournament, and perhaps even some who are out. If this red card can suddenly be overturned, the thinking goes, why not others? Or a disallowed goal? Or a yellow card leading to suspension for a key match?

Indeed, the French Football Federation (FFF) is considering appealing a dubious yellow card that Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Olise picked up in France's last-16 match against Paraguay, according to local media reports. Two yellow cards in different matches in the tournament mean a one-match suspension, the same punishment Balogun was set for.

FIFA could be set for a barrage of complaints and appeals. It remains to be seen, though, whether any other head of state or government will get involved, or whether they would have Infantino's ear in the same way.

With discontent about FIFA high already, one wonders whether the decision could have far-reaching implications for Infantino and his organization.

Has a World Cup red card been overturned before?

Not exactly. Brazil’s Garrincha was sent off against Chile in the semifinal of the 1962 tournament but played as Brazil won the final. However, in those days bans were decided by a committee, rather than an automatic one-match suspension. 

A closer precedent came shortly before this tournament. Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo received a three-match ban for a red card in a World Cup qualifier before the tournament. However, days after meeting Trump for dinner at the White House in November, the ban was reduced from three matches to one, the other two matches suspended for a one-year probation period, similar to Balogun's case. Cristiano Ronaldo served the one-match suspension against Armenia and did not miss any of Portugal’s World Cup games.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold

This article was first published on June 6 and updated later the same day to reflect statements from Donald Trump and the RBFA.

 

https://www.dw.com/en/world-cup-2026-trump-fifa-and-the-balogun-controversy/a-77848357

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

         RABID ATHEIST.

         WELCOME TO THIS INSANE WORLD….

 

red card prize....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Nazo39rd74

HOW THE U.S. OVERTURNED THE RED CARD

 

Balogun got sent off.

Then America filed the most American appeal imaginable.

A World Cup controversy.
A very unusual review.
And one red card that suddenly went bye-bye.

See how it all went down.

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

         RABID ATHEIST.

         WELCOME TO THIS INSANE WORLD….

thanks belgium...

As Belgium got rid of the woeful US team in Seattle, one can only say THANK YOU BELGIUM... and as the US departs the World Cup, so should Gianni Infantino resign... He deserves a kick up the arse [ass in America, culo in Italian].

And thank you also for standing up to the EU which wanted to use RUSSIAN  frozen cash to fund the little nazi detritus in Ukraine...

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

         RABID ATHEIST.

         WELCOME TO THIS INSANE WORLD….