FIFA suspends Chad, Pakistan from football

The bureau of world football governing body, the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) has suspended Chad and Pakistan from international football over government and third-party interference respectively.

FIFA disclosed its decision to ban the Chadian Football Association and the Pakistan Football Associations in a release on Wednesday.

FIFA on its decision to suspend Chad said that: 

The suspension was prompted by the recent decision of Chadian government authorities to permanently withdraw the powers delegated to the FTFA, establish a national committee for the temporary management of football and seizure of the FIFA’s premises.

The FTFA’s suspension will be lifted once the relevant government decisions have been repealed and the FTFA and its management, led by president Moctar Mahamoud Hamid, have confirmed to FIFA that its premises are under its control, FIFA added.

It would be recalled that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) last month disqualified Chad from the Africa Cup of Nations over the interference.

Regarding the suspension of Pakistan, FIFA expressed its dissatisfaction over the “hostile takeover” of the country’s football headquarters.

FIFA stated: 

The situation was prompted by the hostile takeover of the PFF headquarters in Lahore by a group of protesters and an alleged decision by certain individuals to remove the FIFA appointed normalisation committee of the PFF, led by Haroon Malik and to hand over the leadership of the PFF to Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah.

FIFA had once in a letter, warned the country, which was also suspended by FIFA for third-party interference in 2017, that the recent illegal takeover will have serious consequences, which wasn’t heeded.

As the situation remains unchanged, the Bureau of the Council has decided to suspend the PFF, as FIFA assured that “this suspension will only be lifted once FIFA has received confirmation from the normalisation committee of the PFF that the PFF’s premises, accounts, administration and communication channels are again under its full control and it can continue to carry out its mandate without further hindrance.

Both countries’ suspension from all official football related activities, will not only negatively affect the careers of most of their players, but will also deny them access to FIFA funds while all developmental projects will be put on hold.