Raphael Claus, the referee who issued a controversial red card to U.S. men's national team striker Folarin Balogun, was previously investigated in Brazil as part of a 2024 parliamentary inquiry into match-fixing and sports betting allegations. Claus was summoned as a witness in the probe, which stemmed from concerns raised by multiple Brazilian clubs, primarily Botafogo, about alleged patterns of irregular card decisions in Série A matches.
Despite the investigation, Claus was cleared by the Brazilian Football Confederation and faced no charges, as investigators found no direct evidence linking him to any illicit schemes. His involvement in the inquiry did not prevent FIFA from assigning him as an official for high-level matches, including his second World Cup appearance in the current tournament. Claus also officiated two group stage matches in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Balogun received his red card in the second half of the USMNT's knockout match on Wednesday, an incident that has cemented Claus's name in American soccer history. The USMNT is unable to appeal the red card, meaning Balogun will miss the team's upcoming Round of 16 match against Belgium on July 6. Claus has a history of issuing cards, having handed out one red card in 23 international matches and averaging 4.4 yellow cards per game across 262 appearances in the Brazilian Série A.