The official statement of the Royal Belgian Football Association related to Folarin Balogun
Translated from Dutch:
After learning via the media of FIFA’s decision to lift the automatic suspension of player Folarin Balogun, the KBVB wrote to FIFA requesting a copy of the decision, an explanation of the procedure followed, and clarification of FIFA’s position regarding the applicable regulations.
The only response the KBVB received was a letter from FIFA stating that the correspondence was being treated as an appeal, that an arbitrator had been appointed, and that the KBVB had only a few hours to complete the appeal. No substantive information was provided.
Yet FIFA’s own regulations stipulate that an appeal is only admissible if the reasoned decision has been communicated to the appellant beforehand. While the KBVB was merely seeking a legitimate explanation, FIFA itself reclassified the request as an appeal, only to immediately assert that the appeal would be declared inadmissible.
At the same time, FIFA refused to address the KBVB’s entirely legitimate requests for information.
Furthermore, during the match coordination meeting, FIFA deliberately removed the section regarding automatic player suspensions from its presentation. This topic had been included in the coordination meetings prior to each of the four previous matches. The KBVB asked FIFA for an explanation regarding this change—both verbally and in writing—but received no response whatsoever.
To date, the KBVB has still not received a decision or any explanation from FIFA regarding this matter. Consequently, it feels compelled to formally challenge the eligibility of the player in question for the upcoming match.
Regardless of the sporting outcome of this match, the KBVB is deeply concerned about the situation. In the coming hours, days, and months, it will continue to uphold the fundamental principles of ethics and fair competition, as well as the interests of football as a whole.
Posted Jul 6, 2026, 1:23 PM UTC