On FIFA overturning the Balogun suspension

7th July 2026 A parable of a clever lawyer and a wise lawyer * Scene: the legal department at FIFA headquarters. A room with two desks. At the desk nearest the door is the CLEVER LAWYER. At the desk by the window is the WISE LAWYER drinking her tea. Suddenly a FIFA FIXER comes in. * FIFA FIXER: Guys, we have a problem. We need to overturn the Balogun suspension. Orders from upstairs. You need to find us a solution. CLEVER LAWYER: Tough one. It was a direct red card? One match automatic suspension. Look here, see what it says. And see that word “automatically”? That is there for a reason. The provision would also make sense without it, and so it is there for a reason. it is not just that “they will be suspended” but that they “will automatically be suspended”. No hearing, no investigation, no review, no appeal. Nothing more is needed. One thing shall follow the other. For example, look at this other provision: Just as the USA automatically qualified as being a host, a player with a…