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U.S. star Folarin Balogun eligible to play vs. Belgium after FIFA suspends red card ban
Balogun was given a controversial red card during the team’s 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina and was initially not allowed to play in the round of 16.


U.S. striker Folarin Balogun has been reinstated for the team’s round-of-16 match against Belgium on Monday after he earned a red card in the previous round, FIFA announced Sunday.

Balogun was shown a controversial red card Wednesday during the U.S.’ 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina to start the knockout stage. The card came after replay review showed him inadvertently stepping on the back of the leg of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemović.

A red card typically means a player is not only sent off in the match he’s playing in, but also suspended for the following one. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee, an independent judicial body that reviews plays it deems warrant a closer look, reviewed Balogun’s foul and decided to suspend the suspension.

“In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,” FIFA said in a statement. “If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”

Belgium’s soccer federation blasted the ruling, saying it was “astonished” by FIFA’s decision and arguing that it contradicts both FIFA’s disciplinary code and the tournament’s competition regulations, which say a red card “automatically results in a suspension for the team’s next match.”