World football’s governing body Fifa has suspended Nigeria Football Federation on account of Government interference in the country’s football matter.
In a press statement on Fifa website, the Fifa Emergency Committee has decided today to suspend the NFF with immediate effect, on account of government interference . Article 13, par. 1 and article 17, 1 of the Fifa Statutes oblige member associations to manage their affairs independently and with no influence from third parties.
The decision follows a letter from Fifa to the NFF, dated July 4, 2014, in which the governing body expressed its utmost concern about an order preventing the president of the country’s football federation, the NFF ExCos and its Congress from running the affairs of football as it concerns the African champions.
This comes in the wake of a court order which compelled the Nigerian Minister of Sports to appoint a senior member of the civil service to manage the NFF until further hearing, without given a specific date.
The appointed sole administrator decided to convene an extraordinary general assembly on July 5th, which took place as scheduled in violation of the NFF statutes.
It says the suspension will be lifted once the court actions have been withdrawn and the properly elected NFF Executive Committee, the NFF general assembly and the NFF administration are able to work without any interference in their affairs.
The immediate effect means Nigeria will not be entitled to participate in the Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup, which runs through August 5-24, should the suspension not be lifted by July 15.
