Balogun furore risks eroding faith in officiating, say Webb and Masters

LONDON, Aug 19 : The fallout from FIFA's decision to allow U.S. forward Folarin Balogun to play despite a World Cup red card risked undermining trust in football's disciplinary and officiating processes, warned the Premier League's refereeing head Howard Webb and chief executive Richard Masters. Balogun's dismissal was one of the most contentious episodes of the tournament after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly intervened and FIFA subsequently lifted the American striker's suspension through a process that critics said lacked transparency.Webb and Masters said the affair had created unnecessary distraction and fuelled suspicions that could extend beyond the global tournament and into the domestic season that begins on Friday.Webb, head of Pro Ref (formerly Professional Game Match Offic