Now Belgium appeal to get USA star’s World Cup ban – cancelled by Donald Trump – BACK ON, as human rights groups weigh in on how FIFA ‘broke the rules to benefit the President’

Belgium have appealed to FIFA in a bid to get United States striker Folarin Balogun re-banned for their last-16 clash at the World Cup.

Balogun was meant to miss the tie at 1am tomorrow after being given a straight red card during the USA’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina in the last 32.

But in farcical scenes, Balogun’s ban was suspended, freeing him up to play, after Donald Trump rang FIFA president Gianni Infantino. 

The decision has been panned by many respected figures within the game for making a mockery of the sport’s integrity and giving the USA an unfair advantage. 

FIFA have appointed an arbitrator from the Appeal Committee to consider Belgium’s case but it is a race against time.

Human rights organisation FairSquare said: ‘The rules were clearly broken in a way that benefits the political interests of the US president.’

FIFA suspended Balogun’s ban for a one-year ‘probationary’ period, wiping it out unless he commits another offence of ‘similar nature and gravity’. 

The football body issued scant explanation for suspending Balogun’s ban, merely citing ‘Article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code’. That technically allows them to ‘fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure’.

However, Article 66.4 states that a red card causes an automatic ban for the team’s next match. 

There have been 189 red cards in the history of the World Cup and Balogun would become just the second player to not serve an immediate ban. The other was Brazil icon Garrincha in 1962, who was sent off in the semi-finals but played in the final against Chile. 

There were no automatic bans back then but the decision to let him play was accused of being politically manufactured. 

After FIFA kicked back Balogun’s ban, Trump, who was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize by Infantino last year, wrote on Truth Social: ‘Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP.’

The Belgian FA said it was ‘astonished’ at the decision and would be investigating all options to ‘protect the principles of fair play.’ Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia said: ‘I didn’t know that at the World Cup July 5th is now April 1st – April Fool’s Day. We’re defending football and its ethics.’

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois admitted the decision came as a ‘surprise’. He added: ‘Had it been done earlier, we’d maybe be able to be more prepared. But as players, nothing changes, we focus to win.’

The Belgian FA also insisted the move contradicted FIFA’s competition rules. The automatic nature of such a suspension was reaffirmed in a FIFA World Cup Circular sent to participating member associations in May.

A FIFA statement on Sunday read: ‘In line with article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.

‘If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.’

It’s understood US Soccer’s legal team put forward a submission to FIFA, with their case centering on the officials’ use of slow-motion replays before Balogun was sent off.

His foul on Tarik Muharemovic was controversial at the time.

FIFA’s decision has been widely criticised. England manager Thomas Tuchel said: ‘Where does this start and where does this end now? Can we overturn it or not overturn it? What’s going on?

‘Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. I have no answer to that.

‘Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card? Do we think it is not a red card or who thinks it? Where does this start and where does this end? It’s my question. I don’t have an answer.’

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, himself no stranger to controversy, weighed in: ‘Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies.   

‘If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President – and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match – the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis [where are you going], FIFA? Football must never become a playground for political power.’

England legend Wayne Rooney branded it an ‘absolute disgrace’ and said Infantino should be ‘ashamed’.

He also offered a revealing look behind the curtain, adding: ‘I know it’s UEFA but I got a three-game ban before Euro 2012. 

‘I was due to miss the three group games and I got told if I went over to Switzerland and did a training session with a bunch of kids, my third game would get taken off. I agreed to do it because I didn’t want a three-game ban but I thought that was wrong.’

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