Everyone else in the world has expressed their opinion on it, but the player at the center of FIFA's biggest red-card controversy has finally weighed in.
The American player whose red-card suspension was shockingly overturned by FIFA, allowing him to play against Belgium, had no dilemma about the decision.
Folarin Balogun said he should never have been red-carded to begin with.
"I was in shock," he said on "CBS Mornings" on July 14, adding, "It was just an unfortunate situation and I think, you know, put a lot more pressure on us than we needed."
Referees are instructed by FIFA — the international governing body for association soccer — to issue red cards for serious offenses, especially violent conduct and serious foul play.
Balogun was issued a straight red card for "serious foul play" after a video review showed him stepping on the upper ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic during their World Cup round of 32 match.
The U.S. won 2-0 despite being down a man for 26 minutes after Balogun's departure.
In addition to being ejected from the game, red-card recipients are not allowed to play in the next game. Overturning a red card is rare, even when there is consensus on the injustice of its issuance.
FIFA agreed with U.S. Soccer's appeal that VAR officials (otherwise known as the replay booth) improperly used slow-motion replays to determine Balogun's intent on the challenge, suspending the one-game ban.
The decision provoked international outrage, particularly from the Belgian Football Association.
Belgium trounced the U.S., 4-1, in the round of 16 match.
"It wasn't something I could change," Balogun said. "It was just a situation that was unfortunate, which gave me confidence."
He disagreed with the implication that the distraction caused the team's poor performance.
"I think you saw, definitely, it was a difficult game against Belgium, and that can kind of overshadow whether we were focused on not. But … I know we had full concentration going into the game."
Source: AZCentral
