Balogun addresses red-card controversy after FIFA suspends his ban

United States striker Folarin Balogun has said he expected "a lot of controversy" after FIFA suspended the one-match ban he received for a red card during his team's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Balogun was sent off in the round-of-32 match after a review of the incident on the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) monitors.

The red card came after a challenge in which Balogun stepped on the ankle of Bosnia's Tarik Muharemović. The decision was initially met with widespread criticism from former players and commentators, who considered it too harsh. ABC Australia reported that former players and match officials described the call as unfair, with some commentators questioning what the striker was supposed to do in the challenge.

FIFA subsequently suspended the automatic one-match ban for one year, a move announced after US President Donald Trump asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the case. The decision allowed Balogun to play in the United States' subsequent match against Belgium. That match ended in a 4-1 defeat for the US side.

Speaking to CBS Mornings, Balogun said he anticipated the fallout. "My initial reaction was that I was happy to be back in the team, but when I started to reflect, I knew it would cause a lot of controversy," he said. "I could see there was some nervousness among the players because it was something unusual. The closer we got to the game, the more outside noise there was, and it was hard to avoid."

Balogun received the red card for stepping on the ankle of Bosnia's Tarik Muharemović during the US team's 2-0 win in their round-of-32 match. The automatic suspension was overturned by FIFA, allowing Balogun to feature in the game against Belgium, a decision that drew criticism from several quarters, including from Wayne Rooney.

FIFA announced it had suspended the suspension after President Trump urged FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the case. The decision was criticised by the Belgian football association and others in the sport, with some accusing the world governing body of bending its own rules to accommodate the US president.

Coverage comparison

ABC Australia emphasised the criticism of the red card decision itself, noting that former players and commentators described it as too harsh. It also reported that the decision to suspend the ban drew strong criticism from former players, match officials and commentators.

Al Jazeera focused on Balogun's first public comments since the incident, made in an interview with CBS Mornings. The outlet reported that Balogun said he had known the decision would generate significant debate. Both outlets noted that Balogun went on to play against Belgium, and both linked the suspension to President Trump's intervention.

Key claims

  • Balogun received a red card in the US match against Bosnia and Herzegovina for stepping on the ankle of Tarik Muharemović.
  • FIFA suspended his one-match ban for a probationary period of one year after President Trump asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the decision.
  • Balogun played in the US match against Belgium, which the US lost 4-1.
  • The decision was criticised by former players, commentators, and the Belgian football association, among others.