July 6 (Reuters) – FIFA suspended United States striker Folarin Balogun’s automatic red-card ban on Sunday, clearing him to face Belgium in Monday’s World Cup last-16 clash, after U.S. President Donald Trump called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the decision.
Following are quotes and reactions.
UEFA
“Yesterday’s decision… crossed a red line.
“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.
“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.
“We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.”
ROYAL BELGIAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
“FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction.
“However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team’s next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup.”
GERMAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT BERND NEUENDORF
“FIFA should now issue a prompt statement regarding reports that the decision to overturn the red card shown to the American player Folarin Balogun was preceded by a telephone call between US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“The impression that there has been active political interference in sport must be dispelled swiftly and conclusively. The integrity of the competition and the credibility of FIFA are at stake.”
EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR SPORT GLENN MICALLEF
“Many football fans, including former players, have already spoken out about the suspension of Balogun. As a fan, I too believe it was the wrong decision.
“This said, I have always been clear. Decisions on sporting rules and sporting matters belong to sporting bodies, not politicians. Influencing sporting decisions would undermine the autonomy of sport.
“Our focus should instead be on the real governance challenges facing sport, including the weaponisation of sport for political purposes.”
BELGIUM COACH RUDI GARCIA
“I didn’t know that at the FIFA World Cup 5 July is now 1 April, and that is April Fool’s. We’re not defending the national team or the federation, we’re defending football.”
FORMER FIFA CHIEF SEPP BLATTER
“Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President — and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match — the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA? Football must never become a playground for political power.”
ENGLAND MANAGER THOMAS TUCHEL
“First of all, to be very clear, that it was not a red card. But VAR got involved and obviously three people from VAR and the referee checked it were then of the opinion that it was a red card. So, it’s a decision that’s made.
“Who overturns this decision then and when? And on what grounds? And… how far does this go now? So, it’s just strange for me. We just want to have consistency in the decisions.”
NORWAY COACH STALE SOLBAKKEN
“That’s a big mistake by FIFA… it was a red card, (Balogun) was sent off.
“That means you’re suspended for one game, and I think what really is bad about that situation can be that it’ll be over the United States now, because if they beat Belgium, they’ll always have that extra thing about it.”
“It’s a bad decision that’ll hurt the World Cup.”
FORMER LIVERPOOL MANAGER JUERGEN KLOPP
“This is our sport, not theirs.”
“If Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino really sorted this out between themselves, it is madness; it calls everything into question. These two people (Trump and Infantino), who know nothing about football, should have absolutely nothing to do with this.”
ITALIAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION PRESIDENT GIOVANNI MALAGO
“It truly seemed absurd to me. I even looked at Article 27, which allows, or would allow, FIFA and only FIFA, meaning it cannot be replicated in the various national leagues. Thank goodness, because that would truly be Armageddon.”
(Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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