Cristiano Ronaldo receives an unusual ban after his red card against Ireland and is now allowed to play in Portugal's first match at the World Cup after all. Former top referee Urs Meier criticizes FIFA for the decision.
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- Cristiano Ronaldo will be allowed to play in Portugal's first game at the World Cup, as he has already served his one-match suspension.
- Two further matches have been suspended by FIFA and will only come into effect if he reoffends.
- "FIFA should act clearly: There is a one-match ban, two or even three. Everything else is wishy-washy," says Urs Meier.
Cristiano Ronaldo will probably be able to play in Portugal's first match at the World Cup after all. The superstar's suspension following his red card in the qualifying match against Ireland is - contrary to what many expected - only fixed for one match. Two further matches have been suspended on probation by FIFA. The 40-year-old has already served the one-match ban for his national team's 9:1 defeat against Armenia.
Ronaldo was sent off on November 13 after an elbow strike against Ireland's Dara O'Shea. If the two games had not been suspended, he would have had to sit out the start of his team's tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada next summer.
Urs Meier and Rolf Fringer are critical
Urs Meier, who had the pleasure of working with Ronaldo during his time as a top referee at the 2004 European Championship, has a clear opinion on the matter. "Suspended matches on probation? That opens the door. Should suspended suspensions also be imposed in lower leagues? No, FIFA should act clearly: There is a one-match ban, two or even three. Everything else is wishy-washy. It's not a good signal that's being sent out here," Meier told blue Sport.
blue Sport expert Rolf Fringer has also "never seen a case like this before". FIFA must be careful with such decisions, he says, because other teams and players may also insist on such suspended sentences in the event of a similar incident in the future. "It's tricky what FIFA is doing," says Fringer.
CR7 is aiming for his sixth World Cup appearance. According to a report by the AP news agency, the suspended suspension of two more games will only become active if the former world footballer commits another offense of a similar nature.
Normally, a three-match suspension is imposed for an assault. However, FIFA judges can also invoke mitigating or aggravating circumstances. The former apparently happened. It was Ronaldo's first sending-off in his 226th international match.
