FIFA has warned that Ghana and Nigeria could be suspended later this month after the global governing body gave each of their respective Football Associations a deadline to resolve their ongoing governance issues.
In a statement, the Bureau of the FIFA Council gave a final warning to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) following “undue influence” in the two bodies.
FIFA has given the NFF until next Monday (August 20), while the GFA has been ordered to sort out their issues by August 27.
Steps towards the resolution of the crisis within the NFF appeared to have been taken last month when Amaju Pinnick was restored as President amid a power-struggle with Chris Giwa, who also claimed to be the legitimate head of the organisation.
Giwa believes he was legitimately elected during a contested ballot in 2014 and was backed by Nigerian Sports Minister Solomon Dalung earlier this month.
A Supreme Court verdict also ruled that Giwa should be in charge but FIFA backs Pinnick and refuses to recognise his rival.
The problems in the NFF deepened last week when the Giwa-led Board supposedly fired general secretary Mohammed Sanusi, however.
Pinnick’s group has also not yet regained control of the NFF offices, prompting FIFA to issue another order to the trouble-ridden association.
FIFA said in a statement that the NFF would be suspended unless the offices in Abuja are given back to Pinnick.
World football’s governing body added that a possible suspension would not affect the Nigerian team currently playing at the Women’s Under-20 World Cup in France as the tournament has already started.
The GFA was thrown into crisis when former President Kwesi Nyantakyi resigned from all of his roles in the sport following corruption allegations.
Nyantakyi, who served on the FIFA Council before his resignation, was suspended by FIFA’s Ethics Committee after he was caught on camera appearing to accept a bribe.
He remains the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Ethics Committee.
His decision to step down prompted the country’s Government to begin a process to dissolve the GFA, a move which caught the attention of FIFA as it prohibits any Governmental interference in its Member Associations.
A court case is underway to liquidate the GFA and FIFA has ordered the petition be withdrawn or the organisation will be banned.
“The Bureau of the Council considers that the petition introduced by the Attorney General to the High Court of Justice to start the liquidation process of the GFA constitutes undue influence in the affairs of the GFA,” a FIFA statement read.
“The suspension would be lifted only once the above-mentioned petition is withdrawn and FIFA is given written proof thereof.”
