Since we are down the World Cup rabbit hole of corruption and politics

[sarisataka]

In the US vs B-H match the Video Assistant Referee was Juan Soto.

He was the one who alerted the Center to review the play and according to "sources" the Center ref was not shown the usual multi angle, slo-motion and real time views of the play, just a single angle in slo-mo.

Mr. Soto is Venezuelan. Could that have been an influence on him, given Trump's actions against Venezuela, to suggest the play be looked at from a limited viewpoint?

[Initech]

1. Don't tell Fuckhead or any of his goons.

[LexVegas]

2. VAR protocols warn against using slow motion to determine intent or intensity. nt

[Moostache]

3. Even if that hypothetical were given credence (or actually was 100% true) there is still a problem...

FIFA could have saved face and issued an immediate review of the process of the red card decision following the match. They chose to pretend that their in-match processes were NOT the problem and that the faulty decision that it produced (that play was not red card worthy in any sense, but that was also not the primary problem) was totally above board and correct.

Suspending the penalty enforcement is the single dumbest thing that could or should have been done.
These would have been more appropriate responses:

1) Allow the bad call to stand and say nothing. This is the usual response of sporting authorities when it comes to bad calls. Its universal and just move on.

2) Reverse the call after the match and supersede the decision and investigate the referee and the VAR process for discrepancies.

3) Literally ANYTHING else but bringing Donald Fucking Trump's name into this... besides the fact that it is true EVERYTHING he touches DIES, this gives the FIFA officials a massively large impression of further quid pro quo dealings and is actually TRUE... these are the slimiest people on the planet not in the Trump family.

It is a damn shame that the efforts of the best USMNT in several generations is being tainted by the asshole in charge of this nation's decline and destruction. It tracks perfectly, but it is no less infuriating in the end.

[sarisataka]

4. The committees that review such things do not make rulings immediately after a match

They typically meet a few days after to review decisions. This is true in every sport.

If FIFA had changed the suspension to probation within 24 hours, there still would have been people who felt it was unfair; I can understand that point of view.

The bigger problem is a blowhard interjected his ass into a situation he couldn't have explained on his own if there was a gun to his head. Whether his interference had any effect is unknown; but it will be assumed it did influence the decision.

If the US gets past Belgium (I give them even odds) it is likely they will lose to Spain in the next round (unless Portugal can give Ronaldo a youth potion). In any case it will just be another point of infamy of this (mal)administration.