FIFA Rejects France's Appeal Against Michael Olise's Yellow Card

Didier Deschamps, the coach of the French national team, confirmed on Wednesday that the yellow card received by winger Michael Olise in the round of 16 match against Paraguay will remain in effect following FIFA's rejection of the French Football Federation's appeal.

Deschamps announced during a press conference ahead of France's quarterfinal match against Morocco near Boston that he received notification from FIFA on Wednesday morning confirming the appeal's dismissal.

As a result, Olise will be suspended from participating in the semifinal if France advances, should he receive another yellow card in the upcoming match against Morocco.

Olise was shown a yellow card in stoppage time of the match that France won 1-0 against Paraguay, a decision the French team considered unjustified.

The Uzbek referee, Ilgiz Tantashev, faced sharp criticism from several analysts for his performance during the match held last Saturday in Philadelphia.

The French Football Federation had hoped to have the warning rescinded, citing the controversial case of American forward Folarin Balogun.

FIFA decided to lift the suspension on Balogun, who had been sent off in the round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, allowing him to participate in the round of 16 loss against Belgium.

U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that he contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino in an attempt to overturn Balogun's suspension; however, Infantino emphasized that the president's intervention did not influence the final decision.