Not every crisis to hit football begins with a refereeing error. Some begin when fans lose faith that the law will have the final say, and when politics fills the space left behind. The latest controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun’s red card is no longer about whether the punishment was right or wrong. It is about whether FIFA’s disciplinary rules can withstand political pressure. Politics enters the equation Referees can make mistakes, but the rules have always been the final word. In fact, that was football’s strongest defence against those who suspected something more sinister. Errors are part of the game. However,…