Benin FA lands wrath of FIFA

FIFA, World football governing body, has announced the suspension of the Benin Football Association from all international activities following a local court order.

Fifa in a statement released Wednesday at the Fifa Council meeting in Mexico City, dropped the hammer on the FBF, as well as of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) and the Football Association of Kuwait (KFA).

“In accordance with art. 38 of the FIFA Statutes, the Benin Football Association (FBF) was suspended with immediate effect due to a recent injunction by a local judicial court which impeded the holding of the due election,” the statement reads.

The development means Benin are ruled out of June’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Equatorial Guinea, where they currently sit second in Group C.

A court ruling in Benin on 4 May prevented the FBF from holding presidential elections and the suspension will be lifted once a new Executive Committee has been installed.

The Squirrels are due to host Equatorial Guinea on the weekend of 3-5 June and then travel to face Mali in September, with only the group winners guaranteed a place at the 2017 finals in Gabon.

A similar fate may befall the Nigeria Football federation (NFF) should the ongoing leadership tussle persist, as the Zurich body has already written the federation to that effect.

The next FIFA Council ordinary meeting is set to hold on October 13-14 in the Swiss city of Zurich.