UEFA turn on FIFA as they blast ‘incomprehensible’ decision to let banned USA star play following Donald Trump’s intervention – with World Cup opponents Belgium now appealing against the decision

European football’s governing body UEFA has issued a notable condemnation of FIFA’s decision to allow US striker Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium in the last 16 World Cup clash, describing the call as ‘unprecedented, incomprehensible and unfair’.

Belgium appealed to FIFA to reimpose the ban on Balogun, who will miss the game at 1am UK time on Tuesday after receiving a red card in the USA’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32.

But in farcical scenes, Balogun’s ban was suspended and he was given the right to play after US President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

The decision was criticized by many respected figures in the game as mocking the integrity of the sport and giving the United States an unfair advantage.

FIFA has appointed an arbitrator from the Appeals Committee to hear Belgium’s case, but it is a race against time.

And on Monday morning, UEFA, European football’s governing body, issued a statement condemning the decision to suspend the ban and make Balogun available for the last 16 clash.

The statement said, ‘The decision taken yesterday to postpone the one-match automatic suspension for one year following the red card given to Folarin Balogun crossed the red line.’

‘Football, like other sports, is based on rules that are the basis of fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case no. The minimum automatic suspension of a match following a red card is not an optional option and does not require the decision of a competent body to come into force. This is a principle in the regulations that cannot be subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where many other players are in the same situation and regularly receive suspensions.

‘When the accuracy of the rules is no longer guaranteed by their guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of the competition suffers. Likewise, such a decision sets a precedent in the ongoing tournament where similar situations will now require equal treatment to the detriment of the competition.

‘Football is the most popular sport in the world because it is a beautiful game, and it is trusted everywhere because it is played with the same laws. A tournament is never completely independent and, if the tournament in question is the World Cup, it has the power to have positive or negative consequences on the game as a whole.

‘We state that we do not believe in such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unfair decision.’

Human rights organization FairSquare said: ‘The rules were clearly flouted to benefit the US President’s political interests.’

FIFA suspended Balogun’s ban for a one-year ‘trial’ period and lifted it unless he committed another offense of ‘similar nature and gravity’.

The football body made little statement regarding the suspension of Balogun’s ban, only referring to ‘Article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary regulations’. This technically allows them to ‘wholly or partially suspend the implementation of the disciplinary measure’.

Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino and later thanked the organization for “reversing a great injustice.”

However, Article 66.4 states that a red card will lead to an automatic ban from the team’s next match.

There have been 189 red cards in World Cup history, and Balogun became the second player not to receive an immediate penalty. The other was Brazilian icon Garrincha, who was sent off in the semi-finals in 1962 but played in the final against Chile.

There were no automatic bans at the time, but the decision to allow him to play was accused of being politically manufactured.

After FIFA lifted Balogun’s ban, Trump, who was awarded the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize by Infantino last year, wrote on Truth Social: ‘Thank you Fifa for doing the right thing and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP.’

The Belgian Football Federation said it was ‘surprised’ by the decision and would explore all options to ‘protect the principles of fair play’. Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia said: ‘I didn’t know that there was now April 1 – April Fool’s Day at the World Cup on July 5. ‘We defend football and its ethics.’

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois admitted that the decision was a ‘surprise’. He added: ‘If it had been done earlier, perhaps we would have been better prepared. But as players, nothing changes; We focus on winning.’

The Belgian Football Federation also insisted that the move was against FIFA’s competition rules. The automatic nature of such a suspension was reaffirmed in the FIFA World Cup Circular sent to participating member associations in May.

In the statement made by FIFA on Sunday, the following statements were made: ‘In accordance with Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match penalty has been postponed for a one-year trial period.

Balogun received a red card in the 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Donald Trump praises FIFA for ‘doing the right thing’ on Truth Social on Sunday morning

The decision to show Balogun a red card sparked outrage on social media

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was photographed with Donald Trump last month

‘If Folarin Balogun commits another violation of a similar nature and severity during the probationary period, the suspension will be revoked and sanctions will be imposed, without prejudice to any additional sanctions imposed for the new violation.’

US Soccer’s legal team is understood to have filed an appeal with FIFA and their case is understood to focus on officials’ use of slow-motion replays before Balogun was sent off.

His foul on Tarık Muharemovic was controversial at the time.

FIFA’s decision was widely criticized. England manager Thomas Tuchel said: ‘Where does this start and where does it end now? Can we overthrow him or not? What’s going on?

‘Where to draw the line is the question I’m asking. I don’t have an answer to this.

‘If the yellow card is not a yellow card, do we object? Do we think there is no red card or who does? Where does this start and where does it end? This is my question. ‘I don’t have an answer.’

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who is no stranger to controversy himself, made the following assessment: ‘Red cards are not spoiled by political phone calls. They are being subverted by rules, evidence and independent institutions.

‘If a US President intervenes with the FIFA President and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup qualifying match, the question is inevitable: Quo Vadisis [where are you going]FIFA? Football should never become the playground of political power.’

England legend Wayne Rooney described it as ‘an absolute disgrace’ and said Infantino should be ‘ashamed’.

He also offered a revealing look behind the scenes, adding: ‘I know it’s UEFA but I was suspended for three matches before Euro 2012.

‘I was going to miss three group games and was told that if I went to Switzerland and trained with a group of kids my third game would be cancelled. ‘I agreed to do this because I didn’t want a three-match ban, but I thought it was wrong.’

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