Why FIFA suspended Chad and Pakistan football associations

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    Wold football governing body, FIFA has suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and Chadian Football Association (FTFA) due to external interference.

    The drama in Pakistan FA started in 2018 when the country’s Supreme Court declared a group of football officials led by Ashfaq Hussain winners of the association’s general election.

    Even though FIFA kicked against the process that produced Hussain and his group as the head of the football association, the group went ahead to forcefully take over the headquarters of the PFF.

    The headquarters of the FA was formally run by the FIFA Normalisation Committee headed by Haroon Malik. But his power has been hijacked by Hussain and his group.

    Since the group was not recognized by FIFA, the world football governing body decided to place a ban on the FA until normalcy return to the football association.

    A FIFA statement read: “The Bureau of the FIFA Council suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) with immediate effect due to third-party interference, which constitutes a serious violation of the FIFA Statutes.

    “This situation was prompted by the recent hostile takeover of the PFF headquarters in Lahore by a group of protestors and an alleged decision by certain individuals to remove the FIFA-appointed normalization committee of the PFF led by Haroon Malik and to hand over the leadership of the PFF to Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah.

    “FIFA issued a letter warning that, should the illegitimate occupation of the PFF headquarters not be lifted and the office bearers recognized by FIFA not be permitted free access to the building to carry out their mandate, the matter would be immediately submitted to the Bureau of the Council for decision.

    “As the situation remains unchanged, the Bureau of the Council has decided to suspend the PFF.

    “This suspension will only be lifted once FIFA has received confirmation from the normalization 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.”

    Pakistan national team players in training.
    Pakistan national team players in training.

    In the case of the Chadian Football Association, the government of the country decided to interfere in the running of football in the country through the Chadian Ministry of Youth and Sports.

    The sports ministry decided to stop the reign of FIFA’s recognized board on March 10, 2021. The excuse was that the country’s government was not pleased with how the board was running football in the country.

    “The Bureau of the FIFA Council decided to suspend the Chadian Football Association (FTFA) with immediate effect due to government interference”, FIFA statement read.

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

    “The 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 the FTFA premises are again under its control.”

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