20100803
africanews

World football governing body FIFA gives Sudan an August 15 ultimatum to rerun their Football Association presidential elections or face a ban from global football. The Sepp Blatter-led administration said it does not recognize the Sudanese Football Association (SFA) vote which was held on 26 July.

Mutasim Jaafar was voted in as the new president in the elections.

FIFA is unhappy the government barred the former SFA boss, Kamal Shaddad, from standing for a third term.

"Fifa's Emergency Committee decided not to recognize the results of the elections and to set a deadline of 15 August 2010 to hold new elections in compliance with the SFA Statutes and without any influence of third parties," a statement read.

A possible suspension would threaten Sudan's eligibility to play in their opening Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo on 3 September.

SFA general secretary Majdi Shamseddin said the body would hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the demand by FIFA.

"We will try to do our best to deal with the matter and avoid any kind of misunderstanding between FIFA, the SFA and the government," he told Reuters.

Shamseddin said the rule preventing ex-SFA President Shaddad was a Sudanese law and not included in SFA statutes which was why FIFA had objected.

He said one option to resolve the conflict was for the FA's General Assembly to vote to include the law within the SFA statutes but said any final decision would be taken at the meeting later on Tuesday.

The government's Sports Commission has so far refused to comment on the matter.