FIFA again suspends Kenya over government intervention

FIFA has again suspended Kenya's soccer federation for failing to prevent the country's government from interfering in the sport.

Photo: FIFA again suspends Kenya over government intervention

FIFA again suspends Kenya over government intervention

The decision was made by FIFA's emergency committee after the passing of an Oct. 18 deadline for the Kenyan Football Federation to confirm that it would comply with agreements signed in Cairo in January.

FIFA doesn't allow political interference in the affairs of national federations and said the deadline passed without agreements being respected "or only implemented to a very limited degree."

"Fundamental principles such as the respect of sporting rules, the integrity of competitions, and FIFA's statutes, regulations and decisions have been regularly violated or ignored by members of the Kenyan football family," world soccer's governing body said in a statement Wednesday.

The decision effectively bans Kenyan teams from taking part in any international fixtures and will stay in force until all previously agreed measures are implemented, reports AP.

FIFA previously banned Kenya from international matches in June 2004 when the government accused former officials of misappropriating funds and dissolved the federation. It was reinstated two months later after a FIFA-backed committee ensured that Alfred Sambu was elected as federation chairman.