(Yes: This is another post touching not only on legal issues but also on soccer. If you are one of the unfortunate few missing out on the "beautiful game" during the World Cup, you can just skip this post.)
Last week, I blogged about the straight red card suspension given to the "striker" (attacker) on the U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT), Folarin Balogun. I took the view that the red card for stepping on the ankle of his Bosnian opponent was incorrect—primarily because the simple act of leaping in a legitimate attempt to win the ball could not be viewed as reckless behavior endangering an opponent, even if Balogun ended up accidentally landing on the opponent's ankle. Ordinarily a red card in one game leads to an automatic suspension in the following game. In my previous post, I noted that (as described by various commentators), there was no possibility to "appeal" the apparently incorrect red card decision. I therefore assumed that Balogun would automatically miss the USMNT's next game against Belgium.
Early on Sunday, however, FIFA surprised me and most other observers by "suspending" the implementation of Balogun's suspension. As a result, Balogun will now likely take the field today with his USMNT teammates. Belgium's coach was furious, saying at a press conference Sunday morning: "I didn't know that at the World Cup, the 5th of July is actually the first of April—it's April Fools' [Day]."
