The head of FIFA's disciplinary committee has refused to answer questions from the BBC regarding the decision-making process behind player suspensions in the World Cup. Mohammad al Kamali was approached as he arrived for England's quarter-final match against Norway.
The BBC inquiry focused on two specific cases: England defender Jarell Quansah, who received a two-game ban after being sent off for serious foul play against Mexico, and United States forward Folarin Balogun, who was also sent off for serious foul play against Bosnia-Herzegovina but had his ban waived.
Quansah's dismissal was classified as serious foul play, which typically incurs an automatic one-game suspension plus an additional match for the offense. The decision to impose a two-match ban on Quansah has drawn scrutiny.
In contrast, Balogun's case, involving a similar offense, resulted in no additional suspension. This discrepancy led to widespread condemnation, particularly after reports emerged that U.S. President Donald Trump and White House officials had lobbied FIFA concerning Balogun's ban.
When confronted by BBC sports editor Dan Roan, Al Kamali was asked about the Balogun suspension, whether he was asked by the FIFA president to suspend the ban, why Quansah received a two-match suspension, and if he could comment on the public portrayal of the decisions. Al Kamali offered no response to any of the questions.
Following the decision on Balogun's ban, FIFA released a statement emphasizing that the ruling was made after "considering all of the specific circumstances surrounding the incident and evidence available." However, the statement did not provide specific details about the factors taken into account for that decision.