Fifa Ban Sudan

World soccer governing body Fifa has suspended Sudan Sudan Football Association (SFA) for breaking the law of no government interference.

"We are obliged to inform you that the SFA is suspended in accordance with the decision of the Bureau of the FIFA Council," said part of the letter addressed to the SFA General Secretary Magdi Shams Eldin and signed by the FIFA Secretary General, Fatma Samoura.
The letter also clearly states that the suspension means Sudan lose all its membership rights as defined in article 13 of the Fifa statues.

"The Sudan Football Association representative and club teams are no longer entitled to take part in international competitions until the suspension is lifted," added the letter.

The letter also clearly states that the suspension means Sudan lose all its membership rights as defined in article 13 of the Fifa statues.

"The Sudan Football Association representative and club teams are no longer entitled to take part in international competitions until the suspension is lifted," added the letter.

It means Sudan's top sides Al Merreikh and Al Hilal Omdurman that were meant to play in CAF Champions League matches against Etoile Du Sahel and Ferroviario Da Beira respectively on Friday 8th of July, 2017 are technically out.

AL Hilal Obeid will also not go ahead with their match against Zesco United on Saturday in the Caf Confederations Cup. On 2 June, Sudan’s Ministry of Justice ordered the Fifa-recognised SFA president Mutasim Gaafar Sir Elkhatim to be removed and replaced by Abdel Rahman Sir Elkatim.

Football’s world governing body prohibits governmental interference in the running of a member association. In April, Abdel Rahman won SFA elections even though Fifa had previously stated that no elections should take place until late 2017.

After Mutasim Gaafar reported the matter to Fifa, claiming the elections were illegal, the governing body took action this week. “The Bureau of the Fifa Council decided on 27 June that if the degree of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice of Sudan of 2 June – giving the police the right to evacuate the SFA premises and hand it over to a self-proclaimed president of the SFA – has not been declared null or void by 30 June, the SFA will be automatically suspended with immediate effect,” Fifa told the BBC in a statement.

“The suspension would be lifted once the decree of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice of 2 June is declared null or void and the Board of Directors of the SFA with its President, Dr Mutasim Gaafar, is reinstated.” Dr Gaafar is also the President of the Council for East and Central African Football Association (Cecafa).

On 13 June, Fifa sent a delegation to Khartoum in an effort to reach a solution and met the two disputing groups and the Minister of Youth and Sport, Abdel-Karim Musa. Yet the various parties failed to agree on the direction advised by the Fifa officials.