KBVB rejects FIFA ruling on Balogun ahead of USA clash

The Royal Belgian Football Association (KBVB) has sharply criticised FIFA’s decision to declare Folarin Balogun eligible for Wednesday’s World Cup last-16 tie against the United States. The KBVB confirmed it received FIFA’s ruling from the Appeal Committee, signed by committee member Salman Al-Ansari, which dismissed the Belgian federation’s case and upheld Balogun’s eligibility to face the Red Devils. Yet the Belgian body immediately raised serious concerns. According to the KBVB, it has still not received any written justification for the decision, nor the documents it has repeatedly requested since the start of proceedings. Those missing items include the full eligibility ruling, its legal reasoning and the referee’s report. The KBVB described the failure to hand over the paperwork as “a breach of FIFA regulations.” The Belgian federation has now formally notified the United States Soccer Federation that it disputes Balogun’s eligibility if his name appears on the official match sheet.

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By doing so, the KBVB is keeping all further legal avenues open as the showdown in Kansas City approaches. The KBVB statement read: “The Royal Belgian Football Association has received the decision of the FIFA Appeal Committee, signed by committee member Mr Salman Al-Ansari. In it, the KBVB’s case is declared inadmissible and the earlier decision confirming the eligibility of the United States player Folarin Balogun is upheld.” The federation added: “To this day, the KBVB has still not received the reasoning behind this decision. Nor has it received the information it has requested since the start of the procedure, namely a copy of the decision and the reasoning in which the player is declared eligible, as well as the referee’s report. That is a breach of the FIFA regulations.

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The KBVB has informed the United States Soccer Federation that it disputes the player’s eligibility if he is listed on the official match sheet. In doing so, the KBVB is keeping all further legal steps open.” Live coverage of United States vs Belgium starts at 02:00 on Voetbalkrant.com on 07/07.