Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has lashed out at the controversial decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban until next year to make him available for the World Cup quarter-final vs Belgium.

The striker was dismissed for an accidental challenge on Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic following a VAR check. But the intervention sparked outrage as there appeared to be no intent.

However, there have now been suggestions that the United States of America have been given preferential treatment over the Balogun case as a host nation. A phone call made by the White House and Donald Trump’s close relationship with Gianni Infantino have done nothing to quash those complaints.

Sepp Blatter Takes Aim at FIFA Over Balogun Saga

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Kiyoshi Mio

Blatter, who stepped down from his position as FIFA boss in 2015 due to investigations over fraud and corruption, has now weighed in on the Balogun controversy.

The 90-year-old has made it very clear that he’s not happy about politics being involved in football. He slammed the idea that ‘political phone calls’ could have any bearing on the decision to suspend Balogun’s ban. He tweeted:

It’s not the first time he’s been outspoken about issues around the 2026 World Cup. In fact, Blatter urged fans to boycott the United States of America this summer.

FIFA’s Reasoning For Folarin Balogun Decision

REUTERS/Carlos Barria

FIFA have denied any political influence on the decision, stating it was made by an independent committee. A statement from world football’s governing body said:

But what is ‘Article 27’? Well, the rule book states: “The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure. By suspending the implementation of the sanction, the judicial body subjects the person sanctioned to a probationary period of one to four years.

“If the person benefiting from a suspended sanction commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked by the judicial body and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”

A BBC commentator has come under fire after ‘disgraceful’ comments that he made during a match at Wimbledon sparked serious controversy on social media.

Andrew Castle is commentating on his last Wimbledon this year, and he stirred up some controversy during Jannik Sinner’s most recent match at the tournament. The BBC is looking to modernise its output and, as a result, Castle is having to take a step back from his long-tenured position as the lead commentator at the event.

It had been reported that the BBC’s Director of Sport, Alex Kay-Jelksi, had wanted to keep Castle on as part of the commentary team but no longer as lead. This changed when Castle decided to quit the corporation following the news that he would be forced to step down, meaning this year’s tournament will be his last.

Susan Mullane via Reuters

Unfortunately, it seems that his exit won’t be as smooth as might have liked. Not only did his co-commentator, Todd Woodbridge, have to step in to shut him down, but viewers at home were left stunned and disgusted by what Castle had to say.

While Sinner was 4-3 up in the second set, Castle had this to say about his opponent, Shintaro Mochizuki: “It probably feels for Sinner like this guy didn’t play the game.”Woodbridge then pushed back on these comments, calling them ‘harsh’ immediately.

However, Castle wasn’t done there, and he doubled down on his views.

“You know what I mean? When you are trying to break someone down that is clearly inferior in so many departments and yet so awkward, I am full of admiration for Mochizuki, but this is the way Sinner feels now, I am sure.”

Woodbridge would again try to defend Mochizuki by saying that “because there isn’t the regular power and shot shape we see in the game today, it is a throwback type of game.”

Fans were unhappy with these comments, blasting them as unfair towards Mochizuki, who had made a good account of himself in the match-up against the world No.1. One user on X had this to say: “I’ve never heard anything that disgraceful from a commentator in tennis before, just ugly.”

Another user wanted to make sure the BBC saw their frustration and tagged them in a post which read: “@bbctennis @BBCSport Andrew Castle basically saying Mochizuki is crap and can’t play tennis. What round of Wimbledon did you get to in your career, then, Andrew?”

Castle has admitted to being hurt by the decision to have him removed from his position at the prestigious event. He said to the Daily Telegraph before the tournament started: “Am I upset? Yeah, I was upset, and I will stay that way this year, knowing it’s my last. But all good things come to an end.”

As for Sinner, his march towards a second Wimbledon triumph continues as he reaches the quarter-finals for the fifth consecutive year. He will go up against German Jan-Lennard Struff on Tuesday.