Footballers get orders from FIFA
Posted by African Press International on June 15, 2007
Bamako (Mali) The International Football Association (FIFA) has ordered Malian internationals Mahamadou Diarra alias Djilla, and Fredéric Oumar Kanouté to “immediately” join their respective Spanish clubs, Real Madrid and FC Seville, ruling them out from their country’s tie as part of the 5th day of the Ghana 2008 African Cup of Nations (CAN) qualifiers, APA learnt from reliable sources here.
Defending midfielder and captain Diarra and forward Kanoute received the order as they were building up in Bamako ahead of their national squad’s match Sunday against Sierra Leone.
FIFA said the decision is founded on the fact that Real Madrid and FC Seville, which employ Diarra and Kanouté, respectively, are due to clash on Sunday for a “major competition title”.
“Solidarity with national teams in general and African federations in particular does mean it cannot be expressed with clubs” playing a “major competition title”, the world football governing body wrote Thursday to the Malian Football Association (FMF).
Spanish Champions League leaders Real Madrid and FC Seville (3rd) will lock horns Sunday in the last day of the contest, which will see either team crowned Spanish champion.
While FIFA regards the 15-17 June period as an “international” date for the CAN 2008 qualifiers, it was just “appended” to the international match schedule during last 22-23 March’s Executive Committee meeting held in Zurich (Switzerland).
According to FIFA, this date cannot be as “binding” as the others in the international match schedule.
Mali stands second in group 6 with 6 points, behind Togo (9pts) but ahead of Benin (5 pts) and Sierra Leone (1pt).
Published by African Press in Norway (APN)/ African Press International (API) Source.APA
