FIFA suspend Antigua football

ZURICH: World football’s governing body said yesterday they have suspended Antigua from all international matches.

FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren told The Associated Press that the move to ban the island nation followed a request from CONCACAF, football’s confederation for North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Herren said CONCACAF had informed FIFA that Antiguan football was in the grip of “a power struggle that is preventing the association from functioning properly.” He did not elaborate.

The FIFA decision means the Antiguan national team — currently ranked No 158 in FIFA’s 204-nation standings — is barred from all competitive and friendly matches. The ruling also affects Antigua’s football clubs. The Antiguan association also loses their right to vote at CONCACAF and FIFA meetings and are cut out of financial aid programmes that the international bodies offer many smaller football  nations. Herren said a joint delegation of FIFA and CONCACAF officials would travel to Antigua next month to “assess the situation and define a plan of action with all the parties involved.”