Balogun controversy could've been avoided

So he gets to play after all?

The saga that was Folarin Balogun’s red card odyssey may have ended Sunday morning when FIFA opted to rescind his one-game suspension that came with the straight red card he received last Wednesday in Santa Clara when the United States was trying to fend off Bosnia and Herzegovina. But this all could have been avoided if one simple task had been performed.

Which is referee Raphael Claus doing his job.

The U.S. star striker was dominating before the incident in the 64th minute that led to his being sent off. And while he was dealing with the Bosnians who were unable to control him, he met his match with the man from Brazil who was in charge of keeping law and order on the pitch.

The two had been engaged in a verbal battle virtually from the opening kickoff right up until Balogun was told to leave following the foul he committed in trying to deny possession to Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic. Both player and referee had to be frustrated with each other at that point and maybe Claus, a veteran ref with World Cup experience, had heard and seen enough. He is, after all, human.

Did he overreact in sending Balogun off? Perhaps. Was disciplinary action required in the wake of the foul? Absolutely. Perhaps a stern talking to, probably even a yellow card. Since Claus wasn’t available in the mixed zone of Levi’s Stadium after the match nor offered comment from the sanctuary of the officials’ dressing room, we’ll never know what was going through his mind at that particular moment.

But if he opts to not send Balogun off, we’re not having this conversation. The reported politics, which allegedly extend all the way to the White House, would not have been necessary. Nor would the terse and angry response from the Belgian Football Federation which was reviewing “all its options” in the wake of FIFA’s decision to reinstate America’s top scorer on the eve of its biggest game of the quadrennial.

When I read the Belgians’ public response, one word came to mind — “Boycott.”

Would they actually refuse to show up at Lumen Field in Seattle Monday? No, they probably wouldn’t resort to something that drastic. After all, their players have earned the right to play in this match and to deny them the opportunity because of some decision that was out of their control which went against them would look churlish, not to mention childish.

No, you walk on to the pitch, you put your best foot forward and you send the Americans home. That’s what I would be telling my players if I was Rudi Garcia, the man in charge for the Red Devils.

And if the Trump administration did indeed intercede on U.S. Soccer’s behalf, chalk it up to another moment where politics and sport intertwine.

We’ve already seen enough influence by the president, like seeing to it that the World Cup draw, which was supposed to be in Las Vegas, was moved to Washington. That Trump will be the one handing the championship trophy to whoever wins on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is breaking with recent tradition that calls for the FIFA President and only the FIFA President, to handle those duties. So Gianni Infantino will be assisted by Trump, who may take one look at the gold trophy and decide to keep it for himself.

Yes, heads of state have done the honors before. Queen Elizabeth II handed England the trophy when it won in 1966 and Spain’s King Juan Carlos did the honors when Italy won in 1982. So there is precedent.

So maybe Trump did indeed arrange for a “pardon” for his nation’s top striker. Maybe that contrived FIFA Peace Prize Infantino gifted Trump brought with it the power of the pen to erase suspensions. On his Truth Social platform Sunday, Trump said: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”

But back to Balogun and the business at hand in Seattle on Monday.

His presence is huge. He leads the U.S. in scoring with three goals. He is a dominating figure and will be a challenge for the Belgians to keep in check. It also will create the possibility of opening things up for Christian Pulisic, who was limited to just two touches in the win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. He’ll need to play a more active role in Seattle if the U.S. hopes to advance to Friday’s quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium. The more engaged Pulisic is, the better the Americans’ chances will be.

Of course, Balogun will need to get his touches as well. He’ll also have to mind his P’s and Q’s as my wise old grandmother used to say. But he can’t let the specter of being booked again inhibit him from playing his game. I’d like to think he’s smart enough to know where the line is and how short the leash will be as far as the referee goes. He’s on double-secret probation now.  

So what’s done is done. The Belgians will stop grousing. The skepticism over whether FIFA was pressured into giving Balogun the “Ronaldo Treatment” in rescinding the suspension will fall to the podcasters and talk show hosts. They’ll play the game in front of a boisterous and energized crowd. It’ll be America’s best 11 against Belgium’s best 11. Which is what it should have been all along.