July 14 – The Bureau of the FIFA Council has lifted the suspension imposed on the Sudan Football Association (SFA) for government interference, but it is too late for the Sudanese clubs who had already been disqualified from CAF competitions. However, the good news is it is in time to allow to the national team to fulfil this weekend’s fixture against Burundi in African Nations Championship 2018 qualification.
\Sudan had been suspended by FIFA for its failure to comply with its obligations stipulated in articles 14 and 19 of the FIFA Statutes following a decree issued by Sudan’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice on 2 June 2017.
On Sunday an agreement aimed at meeting FIFA’s requirement that the Sudanese authorities step back from interference in football affairs, had been struck between the Sports Minister Abdelkarim Mousa and rival factions inside the SFA.
Confirming the suspension had been lifted, FIFA stated that: “This decision has been taken following confirmation by the SFA that Mr Bakri Hassan Salih, Prime Minister of Sudan, has issued a resolution suspending the decree of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice and the SFA Board of Directors with its President, Dr Mutasim Gaafar Sir Elkhatim, have been reinstated.”
FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura confirmed that, “Under the circumstances, (FIFA) decided to lift the suspension with immediate effect.”
The lifting of the ban comes too late for Al Merriekh and Al Hilal, who have been disqualified from the Champions League and Al Hilal Obeid who were eliminated from the Confederation Cup because of the FIFA suspension.
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