FIFA's Appeals Committee has declared the appeal by the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) in the case of the US striker Folarin Balogun inadmissible, FIFA confirmed in a statement on Monday.
The RBFA claimed that it had requested additional information from FIFA about the reversal of Balogun's suspension after a red card, which was interpreted as an official appeal.
With this appeal now declared inadmissible, Balogun will be able to play in the round-of-16 match against the Belgian Red Devils on Monday at 17:00 local time (Tuesday 02:00 Belgian time).
"The request was declared inadmissible because the RBFA is not a party to the proceedings and therefore cannot appeal against the decision,” the FIFA statement reads.
Meanwhile, a statement from the Belgian federation stressed that it has informed the US Soccer Federation that it will contest the player’s [Balogun] eligibility should his name appear on the referee’s team sheet.
"This means that all further steps remain possible," the RBFA said.
Breach of regulations
In itself, this should come as no surprise. In this case, the Appeals Committee can only consider complaints from the US federation. Many believed that the outcome of this hastily convened Appeals Committee, chaired by the Qatari Salman Al-Ansari, was a foregone conclusion.
With FIFA's original decision to grant Balogun eligibility to play, the world football governing body appears to be contravening its own regulations. As it did not concern a disciplinary measure against the striker but an automatic suspension, it cannot, in principle, be suspended any further.
"To date, the RBFA has still not received any grounds for this decision, nor the information it has requested since the start of these proceedings: a copy of the decision and the grounds confirming the player’s eligibility, as well as the referee’s report. This constitutes a breach of FIFA regulations,” said the RBFA, which continues to threaten further action.
As a result, it will be risky for the USA team to include Balogun on the team sheet. If it subsequently transpires that the Americans fielded an ineligible player, they face the prospect of a forfeit defeat.
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