FIFA disciplinary committee fines USMNT's Folarin Balogun $40,000, defends postponing red card suspension by 1 year
------
The saga around Folarin Balogun's red card continued on Monday afternoon. Hours before the United States' Round of 16 matchup against Belgium (8 p.m. ET, Fox), FIFA released a lengthy statement from the disciplinary committee, announcing that Balogun has been fined $40,000 in connection to the red card.
The statement confirmed that the one-match suspension for Balogun's red card, which the striker picked up the card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, has been delayed by one year. Per FIFA, the team was informed of both the fine and the suspension on Sunday.
The disciplinary committee said that Balogun had been investigated by FIFA for two offenses: The red card, and then for re-entering the field to celebrate with his U.S. teammates, "despite his expulsion." The committee then found him "guilty of both infringements."
It is unclear whether the fine is related to the first offense or the second. Per FIFA, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) "was declared jointly liable" for paying the fine, meaning that Balogun will likely not pay the full fine himself.
After Balogun's foul, which took place in the second half of the USMNT's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, FIFA initially told the U.S. that it could not appeal the decision. But on Sunday, Balogun's one-match suspension was delayed. President Donald Trump, who said that he called FIFA president Gianni Infantino, later took credit for the suspension getting overturned.
Belgium, who said it was "astonished" by the decision, had an appeal officially denied on Monday morning. Mauricio Pochettino said Sunday that the U.S. had been "punished enough."
In FIFA's statement, it confirmed that Balogun normally would have served the one-match suspension during Monday's game, but that the disciplinary committee had applied "Article 27," which provides FIFA broad discretion to alter disciplinary measures.
Home
Chat
Login
Register