Iraq suspended by Fifa after government interference

Thomas Woods

• Last Updated: November 21. 2009 10:26PM UAE / November 21. 2009 6:26PM GMT

Fifa have suspended Iraq from world football because of political interference in the national football association.

Iraq’s Olympic committee disbanded the Iraq FA earlier this week for alleged financial and administrative irregularities – a move Fifa branded as “unacceptable”.

Fifa’s emergency committee, led by president Sepp Blatter, imposed the suspension after Iraq missed an overnight deadline to reinstate the FA and hand back the headquarters which were seized by government security forces.

“The clubs and representative teams of Iraq are no longer permitted to take part in international matches, whether friendly or competitive,” said a Fifa statement.

Iraq, the Asian champions in 2007, are ranked No 88 in the world and on Wednesday they beat the UAE 1-0 in Al Ain to win a four-team friendly tournament involving the Czech Republic and Azerbaijan.

Fifa funding have been stopped and Iraq will be deprived of their vote at international football meetings. However, Fifa said Iraq’s Under 16 girl’s team can play in a week-long tournament in Jordan, starting today.

Fifa rules require full independence of national associations. Iraqi Olympic board member Samir al Moussawi said that the committee were standing by their decision.

“We will continue our contacts with Fifa officials and we will provide them with evidence to support our claims,” al Moussawi said. “Anyhow, Iraqi football teams have no international activities in the next three months and we hope that during this period we will be able to resolve our differences with Fifa.”

Iraqi football has had a troubled relationship with Fifa since the 2007 Asian Cup victory.

Last year, Fifa imposed a ban on Iraqi teams after the government dissolved the national Olympic committee, along with all sports federations. The ban threatened Iraq’s participation in World Cup qualifiers, but was lifted after the government assured Fifa that football was excluded from the decision. Iraq qualify automatically for the 2011 Asian Cup as champions so are not involved in the current qualifying campaign.

Last month, Fifa granted the Iraq FA until April 30, 2010 to adopt new statutes and elect a new board, stressing that the process had to be free of government interference.

* With agencies