Reaction to FIFA suspending the red card of USMNT F Folarin Balogun continued across TV on Monday, with CBS Sports Golazo’s JayDee Dyer saying the decision coming “so late” before Monday’s U.S.-Belgium Round of 16 match has created “bigger questions around the integrity” of the game. CBS Sports Golazo’s Darian Jenkins said the use of VAR around Balogun originally being awarded the red card has “brought in so many more question marks around the processes, the appeals, what that process even is.” Dyer said, “FIFA don’t want to take accountability. If they just put a statement out which took accountability for the referee or the video assistant being incorrect, none of this would be occurring.” He added there has been “no explanation” for a “player that should never have been suspended, that was then suspended and now being reinstated.” CBS Sports Golazo’s Rodney Wallace said if FIFA wanted to overturn the suspension, they “could have done it a little bit earlier.” Jenkins said, “The fact that it took so much time is the issue to me. That’s the problem. I think it should have never been a red, but that should have happened immediately after the game within 24 hours.” She added, “Now there leaves so much gray area and the back and forth, it makes it look even more like a joke in my opinion” (“Morning Footy,” CBS Sports Golazo, 7/6).
CREDIBILITY PROBLEM? ESPN’s Craig Burley said, “If you thought FIFA had any credibility left ... then it is gone.” He added, “They’re not saying it wasn’t a red card. They’re just saying Flo Balogun can play.” ESPN’s Herculez Gomez noted FIFA is “not recognizing that there was a mistake made on the field.” Burley: “It’s lawlessness. It’s just FIFA running amok saying, ‘Listen, this is your competition and we can do what the hell we want.’ It’s embarrassing” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 7/5). However, Fox’s Colin Cowherd said, “FIFA got it right. The red card was atrocious to a player. Everybody knew it. And then they used the VAR review system inappropriately.” He added, “This is starting to feel a little bit like everybody’s a little concerned that not only have we closed the gap if we win tonight, it’s down to the elite hate” (“The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” FS1, 7/6.
HEEL TURN? Burley said if the situation did not involve the host nation, this “would not be happening.” He added, “If this wasn’t the U.S. Men’s National Team, this player would be suspended.” Burley said there has been a “lot of goodwill for this United States men’s team and rightly so,” but the “only people now supporting the U.S. will be the U.S. supporters because this has turned probably most neutral supporters against them because it’s a ridiculous ruling.” Burley: “The integrity of the sport here has been smashed to smithereens and that’s the issue” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 7/5). However, Fox’s Thierry Henry said, “Let’s stop that narrative that everyone is against the U.S. Nobody is against the U.S. People are questioning what happened with FIFA” (“FIFA World Cup Today,” Fox, 7/6).
