“Football must never become a playground for political power”: Former FIFA president slams Balogun’s decision

Referee Raphael Claus of Brazil shows a red card to Folarin Balogun of the United States (AP Photo) Former FIFA president Joseph “Sepp” Blatter has publicly challenged football’s governing body following the controversial decision to overturn Folarin Balogun’s World Cup suspension, warning that sport must never become influenced by political power.Blatter shared his views on X after FIFA overturned Balogun’s automatic one-match ban ahead of the USA’s Round of 16 match against Belgium, a decision that came after US President Donald Trump personally contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the red card.The former FIFA chief, who served as the organization’s president from 1998 to 2015, suggested the episode raised serious concerns about the independence of football’s disciplinary process.

post by Joseph Blatter

“Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. If the president of the United States intervenes with the president of FIFA – and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout game – the inevitable question is: Quo vadis, FIFA?Football must never become a playground for political power.”Balogun received a red card during the United States’ 2–0 Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina after grabbing Tarik Muharemović’s ankle. The suspension, issued after a VAR review by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus, automatically triggered a one-match ban.However, FIFA announced on Sunday that the suspension had been lifted under Article 27 of its disciplinary rules. Instead of an immediate ban, Balogun’s suspension was placed on probation for one year. If he commits a similar offense during this time, a suspension will be activated in addition to further disciplinary action.The decision drew widespread attention after Trump praised FIFA for reversing what he described as a “great injustice”.Belgium reacted angrily to the decision, with the Royal Belgian Football Association saying it was “stunned” and confirming it was exploring all available options to protect the integrity of the competition.Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia also criticized the decision, calling it unprecedented in World Cup history and questioning the message it sent about the tournament’s disciplinary process.Meanwhile, US head coach Mauricio Pochettino welcomed FIFA’s decision, claiming Balogun’s original suspension was unfair and claiming his side had already been punished enough by playing with 10 men for the remainder of the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.The controversy has become one of the biggest talking points of the tournament, with Blatter’s remarks adding further scrutiny to FIFA’s handling of one of the most controversial disciplinary decisions in recent World Cup history.