USA hero Folarin Balogun will be available to face Belgium after FIFA suspended his one-match ban for a year – a decision praised by US President Donald Trump.
Balogun has scored three goals at the World Cup but was sent off for a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic in the USA’s 2-0 win over Bosnia in the round of 32.
Under FIFA rule 10.5, Balogun was given a one-match ban and was set to miss Tuesday’s last-16 clash with Belgium.
But FIFA announced on Sunday that they had suspended Balogun’s ban for year, citing article 27 which allows them to “fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.”
A statement added: “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.”
President Trump, who was awarded the first ever FIFA peace prize by Gianni Infantino, wrote on social media: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Last year, FIFA suspended the final two games of Cristiano Ronaldo’s three-game ban for an alleged elbow at Dara O’Shea during Portugal’s World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland.
Ronaldo was set to miss the opening two games of the World Cup before FIFA intervened, citing the same article 27.
