The Red Card for Fair Play: How FIFA's Bungle Exposes the Politics of Soccer Last week, soccer fans were left bewildered as FIFA allowed American striker Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium despite a one game suspension.
The astonishing aspect wasn't the reversal itself but rather the audacity with which FIFA manipulated its own rules to justify it.
At issue is Article 27 of FIFA's disciplinary code, which allows for the suspension of disciplinary measures in certain circumstances.