Politics and Power Play Out on the Pitch The drama surrounding Belgium's 4 1 victory over the United States in the World Cup has left many questioning whether FIFA's disciplinary process has been compromised by politics.
At the center of this controversy is Folarin Balogun, the young American striker who was handed a one game red card suspension after being sent off by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus.
Belgium felt that the integrity of the game had been compromised by external interference, particularly when FIFA's independent judicial bodies cleared Balogun to play.