‘One rule for one and one rule for another’ – fans react to Quansah suspension
England fans have accused Fifa of applying “one rule for one and one rule for another” after Jarell Quansah was handed a two-match suspension following his red card against Mexico.
Supporters on South Beach in Miami, where England face Norway in their World Cup quarter-final, said they accepted Quansah deserved to miss the next match but questioned why United States striker Folarin Balogun had his suspension lifted earlier in the tournament.
Quansah’s tackle was deemed “serious foul play” under Fifa’s disciplinary code and the governing body announced on Thursday he will serve an immediate suspension, ruling him out of Saturday’s game and a possible semi-final against either Argentina or Switzerland.
England fan Paul Elleray, 61, from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, said: “Well, I think it’s a bit duplicitous.
“It seems to be one rule for one and one rule for the other, so it is what it is.
“I think he’s been sent off, so he deserves to be out, but that didn’t happen elsewhere.
“But I think we’ll be all right.”
Quansah was dismissed after a VAR review of his challenge on Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo during England’s dramatic 3-2 last-16 victory in Mexico City.
The decision to impose a two-match suspension has intensified scrutiny of Fifa’s handling of Balogun’s red card for the United States earlier in the tournament.
Balogun had initially been suspended after his dismissal against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but Fifa’s disciplinary committee later suspended the ban following an intervention from US President Donald Trump, allowing the striker to play in the hosts’ last-16 defeat by Belgium.
George Bier, 25, from London, said he believed the decision was fair despite the controversy surrounding Balogun’s suspension.
“I think it’s fair,” he said.
“I think it would have been very dodgy if it got overturned after the Balogun situation.
“So, back to normality. It’s fine. We’ll deal with it.”
Paul Dubberley, 67, from Aldridge in the West Midlands, felt the sanction was excessive.
“It just kind of seems a little bit harsh, really,” he said.
“Yes, it was a red card. Was it a two-game one? I don’t know.
“I personally think that, especially with everything that’s gone on, that it’s a bit on the harsh side.
“I don’t think we should have got a bye, I think he should be suspended.
“But obviously, the non-suspension of the American, it’s just ludicrous to be honest.
“There’s no sense to it, and it’s kind of just Fifa all over to be honest.”
His friend, Norman Bartlam, 68, from Birmingham, joked: “I think we need Keir Starmer to intervene – I’m sure that would have the desired effect.
“That would probably increase it to a four-game ban.”
The controversy has also prompted some supporters to question the standard of officiating at the tournament.
Mr Bier said: “The officiating has been a bit dodgy.
“I thought Argentina had a bit of a suspicious ruling out… against Egypt. I thought that Egypt’s goal should have stood.
“But maybe Messi is bigger than the World Cup, perhaps.”
Questioned on whether he thought the officiating at the World Cup had been good enough, Mr Bartlam said: “Generally, but you do think the referees have been leant on by certain people.”
The Football Association is understood to have raised its concerns with Fifa earlier this week despite having no right of appeal against the red card itself.
In announcing the punishment, Fifa said Quansah had received a “2-match suspension for a breach of article 14 of the FIFA disciplinary code”.
Published: by Radio NewsHub