James Newbon

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@andydaviesref @espn There's literally a video in my post showing the ref watching full speed. What explanation are you waiting for? I know ESPN is American and you have to pander to them to an extent but I assume they still have standards to uphold regarding factual reporting.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@DaveHo1mes That's literally what they do. And it's two bookings not three.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@andydaviesref @espn I assume you and ESPN will be issuing a correction.
https://t.co/4zVS5HbaNB

I won't hold my breath because you didn't issue a correction when you got the accidental handball DOGSO law wrong last season.
This is Hackett levels of "referee expert" spreads nonsense.

[Louis Ostrowski @ostrl]

How has this myth that the VAR only showed the Balogun foul in slow motion been allowed to persist?

We saw the referee watch it in multiple times in full speed during the broadcast

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@FreyaWoods8 What do you mean it's at the whim of the ref? The VAR is checking the game for major incidents all the time.
Just because they only call the ref to the screen when they think he's got something wrong, doesn't mean they haven't checked everything else.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@Alonso_GD This is a crap take. It's nothing to do with the mildness of the contact. The Argentine wins the ball, it's behind Salah and then there's incidental contact that Salah makes the most of.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@EwenDCameron You apparently don't know the "rules" either since you've used an incredibly poor AI attempt at a summary.
The actual law is:

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@funnydanny His leg rolls across the top of the ball because it was too high in the first place.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

Having a pop at UEFA and leagues who have proper processes in place is silly too.
If they think a red card is wrong they remove the suspension entirely and publish reasons why.
They don't suspend the suspension against all precedent, still fine the player and not explain why.

[FIFA Media @fifamedia]

Statement from the Chairperson of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee - 6 July 2026

🗞️🔗➡️ https://t.co/KqNfqBJZoT

#FIFAWorldCup

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

What a ridiculous statement.
"Said suspension of the implementation was decided considering all of the specific circumstances surrounding the incident and evidence available." Care to explain what they actually were?

[FIFA Media @fifamedia]

Statement from the Chairperson of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee - 6 July 2026

🗞️🔗➡️ https://t.co/KqNfqBJZoT

#FIFAWorldCup

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@Watchmakermaker @BaggooAlan @GuardiansP1zWin The Bosnian gets there first, wins the battle, plays the ball and Balogun fouls him in a way which endangers his safety.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@Watchmakermaker @BaggooAlan @GuardiansP1zWin I don't know where people get this idea that Balogun was just standing there and some bloke appeared out of nowhere and surprised him from. He was competing for the ball, he knew the guy was coming and is attempting to get across him and get his body between him and the ball.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@bradleysweigel Balogun's was a challenge. You are absolutely allowed to use VAR to review any act of serious foul play in any situation.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@ScottyMc71 What you've read is wrong. He used slo mo for point of contact and full speed wide angle for intensity. Standard process.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@JaredGuyThomas All three could be true but only the middle one is.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@andrew_lilico I highly doubt it would have been rescinded in England. Studs raked down the back of the leg and foot causing an ankle to buckle would not have been seen as obviously wrong.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@MiguelDelaney Don't the panel have to meet anyway in the event of a red card in order to establish what length of ban to apply beyond the automatic one match ban.
And then instead they've decided to do this.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@SamulskiNYC It's harsh for sure. Maybe even wrong. So yeah I understand that feeling.
But there's a lot of other misinformation around.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@SamulskiNYC -Ronald served the one match automatic ban. It was a disgrace that they didn't also apply the standard two extra matches for violent conduct.

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@SamulskiNYC -No card given at the time means nothing. It's exactly why VAR exists, to spot things refs don't.
-The ref didn't use slo mo to determine intensity. He watched full speed wide angle for that. Slo mo was used for point of contact. Standard procedure. https://t.co/4zVS5HbaNB

[Louis Ostrowski @ostrl]

How has this myth that the VAR only showed the Balogun foul in slow motion been allowed to persist?

We saw the referee watch it in multiple times in full speed during the broadcast

[James Newbon @JamesNewbon]

@davejsports The Balogun red card is harsh and arguable but not definitively wrong. The appeals process in English football would likely have said it was not clearly wrong enough to remove the suspension.
FIFA, Trump and the stuff about VAR protocols not being followed have been ridiculous.