FIFA suspends Nigeria federation in leadership row

Barry Whelan, dpa 

Football's world governing body FIFA Wednesday suspended the Nigerian Football Federation NFF after its leadership was removed following the team's exit from the World Cup.

FIFA said the NFF was suspended with immediate effect for "government interference" in the sport.

The decision by FIFA's emergency committee means no no team from Nigeria of any sort can have any international sporting contact.

"During the period of suspension, the NFF may not be represented in any regional, continental or international competitions, including at club level, or in friendly matches," a statement said.

The decision comes after the Nigerian federation voted its executive committee out of office at an extraordinary congress convened by the sports minister.

FIFA emergency committee said it was suspending the NFF "on account of government interference."

"Article 13, par. 1 and article 17, par. 1 of the FIFA statutes oblige member associations to manage their affairs independently and with no influence from third parties," the statement said.

FIFA has now given Nigeria a deadline of Tuesday to resolve the problem or be excluded from the under-20 Women's World Cup which kicks off August 5 in Canada.

The Nigerian government had removed the football federation leadership and arrested its president Aminu Maigari after he returned from Brazil last week.

The move had followed Nigeria's exit from the World Cup during which the players had been involved in a dispute over bonus payments.

A statement from the newly-installed federation said "the failure of the Maigari-led NFF to fully and firmly resolve issues of finance" had caused Nigeria "international embarrassment."

FIFA does not recognize the new leadership and says it will only recognize the federation's elective congress set for August 26.

The suspension will be lifted once "the properly elected NFF Executive Committee, the NFF general assembly and the NFF administration are able to work without any interference in their affairs," it said.