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Soccer-FIFA give Sudan deadline to rerun FA elections
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Aug 3, 2010 - 7:46:06 AM

Soccer-FIFA give Sudan deadline to rerun FA elections

By Opheera McDoom

KHARTOUM Aug 3 (Reuters) - FIFA has given Sudan an Aug. 15 deadline to rerun their Football Association presidential elections or face suspension from international soccer.

FIFA said it did not recognise the Sudanese Football Association (SFA) vote on July 26 which elected Mutasim Jaafar as the new president because the government barred the former SFA chief from standing for a third term.

"FIFA's Emergency Committee decided not to recognise the results of the elections and to set a deadline of 15 August 2010 to hold new elections in compliance with the SFA Statutes and without any influence of third parties," world soccer's governing body said in a statement sent to Reuters on Tuesday.

A possible suspension would threaten Sudan's eligibility to play in their Sept. 3 opening African Nations Cup qualifier against Congo.

SFA general secretary Majdi Shamseddin said they would hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the demand by FIFA.

"We will try to do our best to deal with the matter and avoid any kind of misunderstanding between FIFA, the SFA and the government," he told Reuters.

Shamseddin said the rule preventing ex-SFA President Kamal Shaddad was a Sudanese law and not included in SFA statutes which was why FIFA had objected.

He said one option to resolve the conflict was for the SFA General Assembly to vote to include the law within the SFA statutes but said any final decision would be taken at the meeting later on Tuesday.

Sudan are ranked 121st in the FIFA rankings and despite their two major clubs Al Hilal and Al Merreikh faring well in recent African competition, Sudanese remain disappointed with erratic performances by the national side.

(Editing by Patrick Johnston; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)