France challenges Olise’s yellow card after Balogun situation

In light of the one-match ban being lifted for USA striker Folarin Balogun, the French Football Federation has asked FIFA to cancel Michael Olise’s yellow card. Olise got the card during France’s Round of 16 win over Paraguay on Saturday.

Olise, who plays as a playmaker and has been one of the best performers in the tournament, received the yellow card after a clash with Matías Galarza. The Paraguayan midfielder fell down while holding his face, but replays showed that the FC Bayern Munich forward had only tugged at his shirt.

This yellow card means Olise will go into Thursday’s World Cup quarter-final against Morocco with a warning. If he gets booked again and France moves on, he will miss a possible semi-final against either Spain or Portugal.

According to The Athletic, sources familiar with the issue, who spoke anonymously because they were not allowed to discuss it, confirmed that France has appealed FIFA’s decision.

The FFF’s action comes after FIFA lifted Balogun’s one-match ban due to an intervention that involved U.S. President Donald Trump, government officials, U.S. Soccer, and a legal team.

But the FFF argues that its appeal is not directly related to the Balogun case. They believe Olise’s booking was unfair on its own.

In Balogun’s situation, FIFA used Article 27 of its disciplinary code to suspend the striker’s ban for one year.

This decision has led to a lot of criticism, with the Royal Belgian Football Association and UEFA being among the loudest critics.

UEFA said in a statement on Monday that the decision had “crossed a red line” and put “the integrity of the game … at stake.”

“We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision,” UEFA added.