FIFA’s decision to suspend USMNT F Folarin Balogun’s red card ban, making him eligible to play in Monday’s Round of 16 match against Belgium, “clearly raises questions over the integrity” of the World Cup, according to Nick Miller of THE ATHLETIC. The World Cup has been filled with celebrities, and this is the “case on the pitch too.” Balogun has been the USMNT’s “standout player of a finals that seem to have captured the American imagination like no other.” Balogun was the 12th player to receive a red card at this World Cup. All the others either served a suspension at the tournament or, because their team were eliminated, will do so in their next competitive game(s). It is “not that the decision has been deemed incorrect after a thorough process, it’s that the ban has been suspended without any real explanation.” Miller: “If any element of the U.S. administration has leant on FIFA, then does that constitute government interference? That’s enough to get national associations suspended” (THE ATHLETIC, 7/6). YAHOO SPORTS’ Dan Wolken wrote this decision is “probably not great for the credibility of the World Cup,” which has “already seen plenty of gripes from smaller countries like Ecuador and Ghana over key calls and non-calls that went against them when playing powerhouses Germany and England, respectively.” Wolken: “When an organization viewed as unethical in the first place puts its thumb on the scale like this, it’s natural to wonder if there’s more than meets the eye” (YAHOO SPORTS, 7/5).
GOLDEN GOOSE: In London, Martin Samuel cited sources as saying that FIFA “appears to have disregarded sections of its rule book, under personal pressure from President Donald Trump.” It “means that whatever the USA achieve at this World Cup, comes with an asterisk.” Samuel: “Maybe even the World Cup itself does, depending on what happens from here” (London TIMES, 7/5). Also in London, Oliver Brown noted the only other player to be “granted the same clemency” recently was Portugal F Cristiano Ronaldo, who faced an initial three-match ban that “threatened to rule him out of his nation’s first two group games,” but FIFA used Article 27 to ensure that he would play. FIFA’s rationale “carries the same message: whatever you do, do not kill the golden goose” (London TELEGRAPH, 7/5). In London, Kieran Jackson wrote Trump has been “conspicuous in his absence” and his “involvement has been minimal.” Now, Trump has “arrived at the World Cup” (London INDEPENDENT, 7/5).
IRONIC MOMENT: USA TODAY’s Nancy Armour wrote Trump and his team were “quick to glom onto FIFA’s decision” allowing Balogun to play against Belgium. Armour: “The same Balogun who shouldn’t even be a U.S. citizen, according to Trump and his minions. Hypocrisy has never mattered to Trump, though, and you could have set a timer from the second FIFA’s decision came down to when the White House was going to take credit for it” (USA TODAY, 7/5). USA TODAY’s Seth Vertelney noted the significance FIFA’s decision “could linger well beyond the end of this tournament.” FIFA has “let the genie out of the bottle, and it’s not going back in” (USA TODAY, 7/5).
CAN OF WORMS: In San Diego, Mark Zeigler wrote the decision is “a bad look, and you figure FIFA is quietly rooting hard for a Belgium victory, which might be the only way to extricate itself from this political pickle” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 7/5). TRIBLIVE’s Mark Madden said, “I’m glad [Balogun is] playing. I’m embarrassed that he’s playing.” He asked if Belgium F Kevin De Bruyne, the club’s best player, had a suspension overturned, “What would U.S. soccer fans be saying? What would the U.S. team be saying?” (TRIBLIVE.com, 7/6).
U.S. IMPACT: ESPN.com’s Mark Ogden wrote Balogun’s suspension reprieve “might also be bad” for the USMNT. Ogden: “Who wants to win if victory becomes tainted by murky interventions that take place without any explanation or transparency?” (ESPN.com, 7/5). In S.F., Ann Killion wrote the “can of worms that FIFA just opened” is not USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino’s problem. Killion: “You can’t blame the rest of the world for being suspicious” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/5). The WALL STREET JOURNAL’s Jason Gay writes the USMNT has been “getting rave reviews, hailed as a friendly behemoth” and “now the vibe’s going to get weird.” Gay: “Maybe this is exactly what the World Cup has always been, a too-big-to-fail extravaganza that plays politics, makes it up as it goes along and smoothly passes it off, because it knows fury always fades and the planet can’t stop watching” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/6).
WORD ON THE STREET: BBC’s Wayne Rooney described the decision as an “absolute disgrace.” Former soccer player and pundit Gary Neville, speaking on UK broadcaster ITV, said the decision “absolutely stinks.” Neville said that he “would be ‘absolutely raging’ if he was involved with Belgium ‘or any other team in the tournament.’” ITV’s Ian Wright “questioned the ethics of the outcome” (THE ATHLETIC, 7/6). PRO FOOTBALL TALK’s Mike Florio wrote, “We’ll see where it goes from here. Given the way the situation has unfolded so far, it would be wise to expect something unexpected” (PRO FOOTBALL TALK, 7/5).
ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE: CBS’ Gayle King on “CBS Mornings” said, “Suppose there was a bad call in the NFL and President Trump called Roger Goodell and Roger Goodell reversed a call. How would people feel about that?” Men in Blazers co-founder Roger Bennett: “In the eyes on the world, no matter what happens, every goal, every game they win -- maybe tonight and afterwards – will have a stigma, will have an asterisk” (“CBS Mornings,” CBS, 7/6).
