"Two months have passed since the World Cup, yet there is still no proper explanation..." Unprecedented 'suspension reprieve controversy' → Demand for official FIFA explanation

*This content was translated by AI.

Nearly two months have passed since the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA North America World Cup, but the fallout surrounding the unprecedented decision to grant a reprieve to the suspension of U.S. national team striker Paulinho Balogun has not subsided.

British media outlet 'BBC' reported on the 8th (Korean time) that "the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is still demanding from FIFA a clear explanation as to why Polarin Balogun was allowed to play in their match during last year's World Cup Round of 16," and added that "they have requested that this matter be formally placed on the agenda for the next FIFA Council meeting scheduled for October."

Anger toward FIFA has not yet subsided. The Belgian Football Association has officially declared that it will no longer support Gianni Infantino's bid for re-election as FIFA president.

The reversal of Balogun's suspension was the most controversial issue of the North America World Cup. Balogun, a starting striker for the host nation United States, had received a direct red card in the previous match, but FIFA made a sudden decision to defer his one-match suspension for one year, allowing him to play normally against Belgium in the Round of 16. According to local reports, it emerged that U.S. President Donald Trump and White House officials directly lobbied FIFA, triggering fierce criticism from the global football community.

At the time, Balogun, who had scored three goals, started in the lineup, and Belgium secured a decisive 4-1 victory to advance to the quarterfinals, yet the controversy remained unresolved. Although Balogun's red card was the 189th in World Cup history, the failure to enforce his suspension occurred only twice since 1962, when Brazil's Garrincha received a similar reprieve.

Notably, Balogun was the only player whose suspension was deferred during this North America World Cup. At the time, FIFA merely referenced Article 27 of its own disciplinary code, which allows for suspension deferrals, without providing any convincing explanation.

Pascal Van Damme, president of the Belgian Football Association, stated in a press release: "Two months have passed since the incident occurred, yet our questions remain unanswered. Given that transparency and clarity are paramount, we demand the necessary explanations. We seek to improve the process to ensure that similar cases are handled clearly and consistently in the future."

He further added, "We will work in solidarity with UEFA and national associations to strengthen decision-making transparency and establish robust governance."

The Belgian Association formally withdrew its support for In Pan-ti-no (Chairman), who is seeking a third term in 2027, citing not only the opaque administration surrounding the Balogun incident but also the global backlash over the proposed sale of stake in the private equity fund (FIFA Forward Enterprise).

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.