FIFA suspended the final two games of Cristiano Ronaldo's three-match ban for violent conduct, clearing the 40-year-old superstar to play in Portugal's opening matches at next summer's World Cup. The controversial decision has triggered widespread criticism and could lead to legal challenges at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Ronaldo received a straight red card for elbowing Republic of Ireland defender Dara O'Shea during a qualifier earlier this month. He served one match of the standard three-game ban, sitting out Portugal's 9-1 victory over Armenia in their final qualifier.
The Decision
FIFA invoked Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, which allows a judicial committee to "fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure." The governing body placed the final two matches under a one-year probation period.
FIFA stated: «In line with article 27 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code, the serving of the two remaining matches has been suspended under a one-year probation period. If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked and the remaining two matches must be served immediately at the next official match(es) of the Portuguese representative team.»
Questions of Fairness
The timing raised eyebrows. Ronaldo visited the White House last week, meeting President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, just days before the disciplinary committee's decision.
Armenia captain Tigran Barseghyan received a three-match ban for violent conduct in almost identical circumstances against an Irish player in Dublin. Unlike Ronaldo, Barseghyan received no probationary suspension and has already missed two internationals.
FIFA maintains its disciplinary panel is «fully independent.»
Potential Legal Challenge
Countries drawn against Portugal in matches where Ronaldo should have been banned could challenge the decision at CAS. Any aggrieved party would need to prove they are directly affected by the decision and that their chances of qualifying would be reduced if Ronaldo plays.
Scotland, and potentially the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, could face Portugal if successful in their play-off matches. England cannot face Portugal in the World Cup draw, scheduled for next Friday in Washington DC.
Context
Ronaldo scored five goals in World Cup qualifying and had 226 caps before his Dublin dismissal without receiving a red card. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, coach Fernando Santos dropped Ronaldo for the last-16 match against Switzerland, with replacement Goncalo Ramos scoring a hat-trick in a 6-1 victory.
This is likely Ronaldo's final World Cup appearance. At Euro 2024, he managed no goals and one assist. Manager Roberto Martinez continues to select the aging forward despite questions about his effectiveness at international level.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
