UEFA's Controversial Decision on Red Card

Wow, this is an incredible update from UEFA. So UEFA, obviously the kind of principal organisation

in charge of European football, not to be confused with FIFA, which is world football,

just for anyone. Sorry, I don't mean to patronise, just want to make sure people are clear. So

Balogun from the United States team versus Belgium this week, they have come out with

this statement. And I'm sorry, I'm going to look that way so I can read a bit of it. Okay.

So yesterday's decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year, the implementation of one

match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Balogun has crossed

That is very, very strong language. Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which

are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation

and in this case, not.

A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option

and does not require the decisions of a competent body to be enacted.

It is a principle embedded in regulations which cannot be made subject to exceptions.

Let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation

and regularly served their suspension. When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed

by its guardians the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition

is undermined. Equally such decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament where

similar situations will now require an equal treatment to the detriment of the competition.

Football is the most loved sport in the world because it is a beautiful game and it is trusted

because it is played everywhere with the same laws.

A tournament is never pure stand-alone and if the tournament in question is the World

Cup it has the power to drive positive or negative consequences on the game as a whole.

We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.

And that's the end of that statement from UEFA.

That is absolutely massive.

That is essentially the most influential regional manager of the game speaking to the worldwide

representative of the game and saying you are wrong, you should not have done that and

I would suggest giving them a little bit of time to respond before saying we will absolutely

be challenging this.

This is a nonsense now.

This is a real nonsense now because you've got USA and I saw a bunch of USA fans yesterday

saying oh well I would have expected if you were Belgium you would have wanted to come

up against our best.

It's not the point. It's not about Belgium here trying to get away with one

It's about the laws of the game being implemented

If Balogun now comes in and scores a hat-trick and Belgium gets sunk out

He shouldn't have been playing on the field whether you agree that the red card was a red card or not

That is the moment that is up to interpretation

They could have like challenged that with using VAR during the match and it could have been overturned, but it wasn't

Okay, so essentially what you've done is you've had a referee say it initially you've had VAR validate it

You've come out and then I don't care what anyone says someone behind the scenes has

absolutely challenged that and a lot of people are using the b-word bribery in this and

Who's to say that that isn't the case because it's completely unprecedented

Doesn't make any sense. No other player has been given it

But what we're in the USA and it's gonna impact the USA. And so now we do it

I don't know man. It feels very very sketchy and this as a statement is

Wild it blows things wide open. You can expect to read a lot more about it drop a comment

Let me know what you think. I would love to know where you're at on this what your view is on this whole

Shenanigan and let's see how it unfolds