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GENEVA – Fifa on Thursday banned Cameroon from international competition due to state meddling in their football association, meaning they fail to gain from a decision to dock rivals Togo three points for fielding a suspended player in their World Cup campaign. In a statement, Fifa said that Cameroon’s FA, or FECAFOOT, had been suspended with immediate effect owing to “government interference”, but did not elaborate.
Fifa statutes require that the game’s national governing bodies be able to conduct their affairs free from official control.
“During the period of suspension, FECAFOOT may not be represented in any regional, continental or international competitions, including at club level, or in friendly matches,” Fifa said.
It said a special committee would be set up to organise elections for a new FECAFOOT governing body by the end of March next year, and would meantime run the game in Cameroon.
In a separate announcement, Fifa said that it had punished Togo for fielding suspended Jacques Alexys Romao in their 9 June Group I home game against Cameroon.
Togo have already admitted they were wrong to play the Marseille midfielder in the 2014 World Cup Africa zone qualifier.
Ironically, Fifa’s decision to dock three points from Togo would have been a major bonus for Cameroon, changing their 2-0 defeat into a 3-0 victory.
Cameroon are two points behind Libya ahead of a September showdown in Yaounde to decide who wins the group, but the Fifa penalty against Togo would move them into a one-point lead.
But that advantage will be purely academic unless Cameroon can persuade Fifa to lift their ban.
Meanwhile, FECAFOOT yesterday criticised Fifa after it was provisionally suspended from all competitions over governance issues.
FECAFOOT spokesman Junior Binyam told AFP the suspension was “deplorable” and would damage the prospects of young footballers, including the best who wanted to play abroad.
“If a young Cameroon footballer is courted by a club such as Arsenal, he will not be able to go because the Cameroon federation will not be in a position to give him an international transfer certificate,” he added.
Cameroon were due to play Gabon today in the qualifying round for the African Nations Championships (CHAN) but the match will not now go ahead because of the ban.
“If this suspension is not lifted by September, Cameroon will not be able to play in the World Cup qualifiers,” added Binyam.
“We can only hope that the normalisation committee will start work without hindrance so the suspension can be lifted.”
Fifa on Thursday said it had provisionally suspended FECAFOOT from international competition because of “government interference” in its running.
The decision came a week after the re-election of the outgoing president of the federation, Iya Mohammed, was declared void following his imprisonment for alleged misappropriation of funds.
Fifa said Cameroon, who are competing for a place in the World Cup finals in 2014, will not be able to play in any competition for the duration of the suspension.-Supersport.
Online Reporter