Overview
- A Times report published Sunday says Mohammad al-Kamali, chairman of FIFA’s 18‑member Disciplinary Committee, made the decision by himself without consulting the other 17 members.
- FIFA used rarely invoked Article 27 to suspend Balogun’s automatic one‑match red‑card ban for a one‑year probation and fined him, which allowed the striker to play against Belgium.
- President Donald Trump confirmed he phoned FIFA president Gianni Infantino to request a review and Infantino has acknowledged the call while defending the independence of FIFA’s judicial bodies.
- UEFA and the Royal Belgian Football Association publicly protested the process, Belgium’s appeal was denied, and ethics complaints plus demands for independent probes have followed.
- The controversy has focused attention on FIFA decision‑making: reporters say al‑Kamali refused to comment to the BBC and observers now expect formal inquiries or procedural reforms to be the next steps.