Norway coach’s strong criticism of FIFA for reversing Balogun’s suspension: It’s a mistake By Thiago Lemos
3 min read
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Stale Solbakken, coach of the Norwegian national team, once again expressed his strong dissatisfaction with FIFA’s decision to overturn the suspension of striker Balogun, from the United States. The controversy comes on the eve of a crucial clash against Belgium, in the round of 16 of the World Cup, and the president of the Norwegian federation, Lise Klaveness, also condemned the attitude of football’s highest governing body.
For the Norwegian coach, FIFA’s resolution lacks logic and is “completely wrong”. He stated that the measure goes against the fundamental principles of the sport and is indefensible from any perspective.
Solbakken had already expressed his disapproval on Sunday, shortly after Norway’s 2-1 victory over Brazil, a result that guaranteed the team’s qualification for the quarter-finals. He reiterated his position this Monday.
The situation became even more controversial with the revelation that Donald Trump, president of the United States, had contacted Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, with the aim of reversing Balogun’s expulsion. Although Infantino has denied any interference, news of the contact raises questions about the autonomy and impartiality of the entity’s disciplinary decisions, a sensitive point for the sport’s credibility.
For the Norwegian coach, the supposed political intervention should have no weight. He emphasized that FIFA is an independent entity and needs to take responsibility for its own choices, without external influence.
Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian federation, sided with Solbakken’s point of view, issuing a statement to Norwegian newspaper VG to express her support.
In his statement, Klaveness described FIFA’s action as a “serious infringement” of basic competition regulations. She demanded transparency from the organization to justify such an exceptional measure.
The annulment case and behind the scenes involving Donald Trump
Striker Balogun was penalized with a red card during the match against Bosnia, 18 minutes into the second half. The decision, made by referee Raphael Claus after a VAR review, occurred because the player stepped on Muharemovic’s ankle.
According to Article 10.5 of FIFA’s guidelines for the tournament, expulsion would result in an automatic one-game suspension. However, football’s highest governing body chose to revoke the punishment imposed on the athlete.
The FIFA Disciplinary Code, in its Article 27, establishes the prerogative that “the judicial body may totally or partially suspend the application of a disciplinary measure”, leaving room for this type of decision.
A statement released on the FIFA portal detailed the measure, stating that “by virtue of Article 27 of the FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year.”
The striker’s presence is essential for the North American team, as he is the team’s top scorer in the World Cup, with three goals scored. His absence would be a significant absence for this Monday’s clash against Belgium, scheduled for 9pm (Brasília time).
