8 hours ago
8
England coach Thomas Tuchel says there is total confusion over the disciplinary process at the World Cup after the Balogun decision.
With Jarell Quansah sent off in England's 3-2 win over Mexico, Tuchel was asked if he would be petitioning Fifa to get the defender's ban cancelled before Saturday's quarter-final against Norway (22:00 BST).
"Where does this start and where does this end now?" Tuchel said. "Can we overturn it or not overturn it? What's going on?
"Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. I have no answer to that.
"Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card? Do we think it is not a red card or who thinks it? Where does this start and where does this end? It's my question. I don't have an answer."
Both Balogun and Quansah were sent off following a video assistant referee (VAR) review.
Tuchel believes that the intervention has created uncertainty over the rules.
"I think first of all, to be very clear, that it [Balogun] was not a red card," Tuchel said.
"But VAR got involved and obviously three people from VAR and the referee checked it were then of the opinion that it was a red card, so the decision is made.
"Who overturns this decision and when and on what grounds? And how far does this go now? It's just strange for me. We just want to have consistency in the decisions.
"So, is our yellow card after the first minute against Declan Rice… we can now debate endlessly. I think it is not a yellow card. Do we get this back?
"Does France get the yellow card back for [Michael] Olise which was not a yellow card? Where does this end? Where does it stop?
"I don't know the rules. I am the wrong person to ask. I will wait and see what's coming."
The Belgian FA said in a statement that it is "astonished" that Balogun will not be banned for the last-16 tie in Seattle.
Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia, speaking at a news conference on Sunday, went further. He said: "I didn't know that [at] the Fifa World Cup 5 July is now 1 April, and that is April Fool's.
"We are not defending the national team or the federation, we're defending football."
The Athletic has reported, external that Belgium have been granted the right to appeal, another unprecedented step whereby a future opponent has been allowed to be involved in a disciplinary case.
It added that the Belgian FA has until 13:00 BST to make its case but there is no timeline for a decision, the match kicking off 12 hours later.
If Fifa stands by its decision, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has set up an ad hoc division, external to hear swift and independent resolution of appeals against decisions at the tournament.
