'Rules being applied equally': After Donald Trump's Balogun intervention, UK MP urges FIFA to delay England player's red-card suspension
A British Member of Parliament, Noah Law, has urged FIFA president Gianni Infantino to delay the suspension of England defender Jarell Quansah, arguing that he should be allowed to play in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against Norway.Quansah was sent off in the second half of England's round-of-16 match against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca after a sliding tackle on Jesus Gallardo.
England were leading 2-1 at the time, with Jude Bellingham scoring both first-half goals.In a letter to Infantino, Law said Quansah deserved the red card but questioned why England should not receive the same treatment that FIFA gave United States forward Folarin Balogun."Whilst I believe that it was right for Jarell Quansah to have received this red card and that refereeing rules must be applied consistently, I believe it would be right to delay his suspension until after the completion of this World Cup," Noah Law wrote in a letter to Infantino.Law referred to FIFA's decision to lift Balogun's one-match suspension after the United States forward was sent off against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the round of 32.
Balogun had received an automatic one-game ban after being shown a red card for stepping awkwardly on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemovic during the United States' 2-0 win.US President Donald Trump later asked FIFA to review the decision and allow Balogun to play against Belgium. FIFA lifted the suspension on Sunday, making him available for the round-of-16 match."We know that a similar situation arose earlier in the competition when United States forward Folarin Balogun received a red card during the Round of 32.
The integrity of any major international tournament depends not only on players and officials adhering to the rules, but also on those rules being applied equally to all participating nations. I am sure we will be unable to justify a situation in which one player benefits from a delayed suspension while another, in materially similar circumstances, does not," Law said in his statement.FIFA’s stunning decision riled the host country's next World Cup opponent, Belgium.
It has also sent football fans -- and political leaders -- around the world into a frenzy over the influence President Donald Trump may have had over the extremely rare ruling.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.