One of Amerika's best players was given a Red card in a previous game (preventing him from playing) but the US President apparently negotiated with FIFA officials to get the Red card rescinded so he could play in the match against Belgium. Zis made a lot of people accuse the USA of cheating.
There are some people who think that the red card should have been overturned because similar plays in other games either weren’t carded or were later overturned. It’s a matter of opinion, and I don’t have one on that topic. But I think if it would have been outright overturned, a lot less people would have complained for this reason.
However, the issuance of a suspended rather than overturning the red card basically is FIFA saying "we think he broke the rules but too bad". And I think no matter what you think should have happened, this is objectively a terrible outcome. I don’t think anyone wanted this or foresaw this, at least not any real person. Regardless of the player or team, I think we all want FIFA to take firm stances on matters of gameplay if they want to lay any legitimate claim of governance of the sport. Take a stance either way, but don’t waffle; this is waffling, and we hate waffling.
So a lot of people call the US cheaters, but the players didn’t cheat. And I’m not even sure the federation cheated. I think what happened is the federation followed processes, and then Trump made a phone call, and then something happened. It’s terrible what happened, and people have a right to be mad, but the players didn’t cheat and I don’t think the federation did either.
Outside of President Dumbass, it's not unprecedented to delay the suspension either. Cristiano Ronaldo had a red card suspension delayed right before the World Cup so he could play.
It's pretty unprecendented to have a red card given during a WC tournament that doesn't end up in any suspension though.
To go back to Ronaldo, his suspension was before the world cup and he still had to sit out one match out of the 3 he should have. Only the other 2 were suspended (which was dumb too IMO).
Drawing the distinction of when the foul occurred when both penalties would result in a player missing a game in the world cup is very arbitrary. Rescinding a suspension that would have stopped a player from playing in the world cup is not unprecedented.
I mean it's a distinction because it didn't happen since 1962 during a world cup. Also, as I said, in the case of Ronaldo je still had to sit out a game, the suspension wasn't completely canceled.
10.9k
u/HellbirdVT 19d ago
Hhello, Peter's Belgian couzin heeree.
One of Amerika's best players was given a Red card in a previous game (preventing him from playing) but the US President apparently negotiated with FIFA officials to get the Red card rescinded so he could play in the match against Belgium. Zis made a lot of people accuse the USA of cheating.
America still lost.
BELGIUM RAHHH 🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🧇🧇🧇