According to the American media outlet The California Post, Brazilian referee Raphael Kraus, who showed Balogun a red card in the US Men's FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, had previously been questioned in a Brazilian domestic investigation but was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.
The report states that in the match where the US team defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun was sent off with a red card by referee Kraus in the second half, missing the subsequent Round of 16 match. This decision sparked significant controversy, with many fans on social media questioning Kraus's officiating and FIFA's VAR decision standards.
In fact, 46-year-old Kraus was involved in 2024 in a parliamentary inquiry (CPI) launched by the Brazilian Congress into match-fixing and sports betting issues, and he was questioned as a witness. Several Brazilian clubs, particularly Botafogo, had questioned some of his decisions and accused him of unusual yellow and red card decisions in the Brasileirão.
However, the Brazilian Football Confederation ultimately determined that Kraus had not committed any irregularities. Investigators found no direct evidence to prove his involvement in match-fixing or betting manipulation cases, so he was neither prosecuted nor penalized.
The report notes that this investigation did not affect FIFA's trust in Kraus, and FIFA still lists him as one of the referees for the FIFA World Cup's highest-level matches.
AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com