World Cup: Balogun red and expansion keep FIFA in spotlight
The fallout from Folarin Balogun’s red card continues, as reports suggest the decision was made unilaterally by the chairman of FIFA’s disciplinary committee. Meanwhile, the
The fallout from Folarin Balogun’s red card continues, as reports suggest the decision was made unilaterally by the chairman of FIFA’s disciplinary committee. Meanwhile, the tournament could be set to expand once more. Almost a week after the USA became the final co-host to exit World Cup 2026, the fallout from the suspended red-card ban of their striker, Folarin Balogun, continues. Organizers FIFAtook the near-unprecedented decision to suspend the forward's ban after an intervention from US President Donald Trump and despite FIFA having statutes forbidding political interference. "FIFA's judicial bodies are independent," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino when defending the process. "They operate autonomously… Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected." This particular decision was taken by FIFA's 18-strong disciplinary committee, or at least this was the impression given by FIFA's communications. But a report from UK newspaper The Times stated on Monday that the committee's chairman, Mohammad al-Kamali, made the call unilaterally. FIFA under fire for World Cup red card retraction To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "Senior figures in football have questioned why Fifa has declined to publish the written reasons for the Balogun decision, adding to the lack of transparency around the case, or even to explain why Balogun's ban was waived," reads the Times report.
"It is the first time since automatic suspensions for red cards were introduced to the World Cup that one has been lifted." Committee decisions consistently taken by an individual FIFA have not yet responded to questions on the matter from DW or any other outlet. Al-Kamali is a lawyer from the United Arab Emirates, which has strong links with the US, and heads the committee made up of legal experts, practising lawyers and officials from football federations. However, the committee's power now appears to lie almost entirely in al-Kamali's hands. The Financial Times reported last week that the body‘s last 110 published decisions were made by one person, with al-Kamali "allowed to make rulings alone or delegate that power to someone else. Not all decisions are made public." Despite a host of other controversial decisions, no other rulings have been made by the disciplinary committee at the World Cup. Though politics have been a constant theme, the newly expanded tournament has been widely hailed as a success on the pitch. Now Infantino has hinted that he is looking to further expand from 48 to 64 teams for the next men‘s tournament, in 2030. "When organizing a World Cup, it's important to organize it for the whole world.
The BriefWire