Garcia Slams FIFA Decision Over Folarin Balogun Suspension, Claiming He Was Unaware It Was April Fool's Day
FIFA's decision to reinstate USA forward Folarin Balogun for the last-16 tie with Belgium has been met with surprise, with Belgium's manager Rudi Garcia likening it to July 5th being called 'April Fool's Day'. The player's one-game suspension for a straight red card in the 2-0 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina was overturned, with FIFA citing Article 27, which allows their disciplinary committee to review the original ruling.
The incident occurred when Balogun challenged Tarik Muharemovic, and the decision to send him off was made after a VAR intervention. Belgium's football association has expressed astonishment at the decision, stating they are investigating all potential options to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams, which could include taking the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Reports have emerged that US President Donald Trump made direct calls to FIFA to overturn the decision, but the governing body has stated this had no impact on the outcome. Meanwhile, Belgium's Thibaut Courtois, who is set to play his 20th World Cup game, has downplayed the news, saying it will not affect their preparation for the match. Courtois added that the team will be ready to face Balogun, a pacy striker, and has been preparing for all possible scenarios.
Belgium's manager has focused on the task at hand, stating that the team needs to improve its consistency during the game to reach the expected level. The match between Belgium and the USA is set to take place on Monday in Seattle, with both teams looking to advance to the next round.
The incident occurred when Balogun challenged Tarik Muharemovic, and the decision to send him off was made after a VAR intervention. Belgium's football association has expressed astonishment at the decision, stating they are investigating all potential options to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams, which could include taking the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Reports have emerged that US President Donald Trump made direct calls to FIFA to overturn the decision, but the governing body has stated this had no impact on the outcome. Meanwhile, Belgium's Thibaut Courtois, who is set to play his 20th World Cup game, has downplayed the news, saying it will not affect their preparation for the match. Courtois added that the team will be ready to face Balogun, a pacy striker, and has been preparing for all possible scenarios.
Belgium's manager has focused on the task at hand, stating that the team needs to improve its consistency during the game to reach the expected level. The match between Belgium and the USA is set to take place on Monday in Seattle, with both teams looking to advance to the next round.
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