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FIFA punishes Africans for World Cup offences
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | FIFA have punished numerous African nations for offences during 2018 World Cup qualifiers last month, the world football body said.
Gabon forfeited by a mandatory 3-0 scoreline a match against Ivory Coast in Libreville for fielding suspended midfielder Merlin Tandjigora.
However, the Gabonese lost the match 3-0 so the punishment effectively amounted to a $6,200 (5,300 euros) fine.
Fielding ineligible players was a major problem in Africa during 2014 World Cup qualifying, but Portugal-based Tandjigora is the first culprit since.
Nigeria were fined $30,000 after spectators invaded the pitch in Uyo during a 4-0 triumph over Cameroon.
The Democratic Republic of Congo must pay FIFA $20,000 after the crowd hurled bottles and let off incendiary devices during a 2-2 draw with Tunisia in Kinshasa.
Mali were fined $15,000 because fans flung bottles and chairs on the pitch in a 0-0 stalemate with Morocco in Bamako.
The earlier qualifier between the same countries in Rabat led to a $3,000 fine for Morocco over whistling while the Malian national anthem was being played.
Zambia received a $7,000 fine after the crowd hurled various unspecified objects on the pitch during a 3-1 victory over Algeria in Lusaka.
Senegal and Burkina Faso were warned for late kick-offs in the qualifiers between them in Dakar and Ouagadougou.
The fines are a serious blow as most African national football associations struggle financially with many relying on government bailouts for survival.
Equatorial Guinea women field 10 ineligible players
The Equatorial Guinea women’s team were disqualified from next year’s Women Africa Cup of Nations and the 2019 World Cup by FIFA on Thursday for fielding 10 ineligible players.
All 10 of the ineligible players were born in Brazil, although the majority have been playing for Equatorial Guinea since the 2011 World Cup.
The Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana next November doubles up as qualifying for the World Cup in France the following year.
The ineligible players featured for the oil-rich African country during qualifying for the 2016 Olympics, while two other players provided “forged and falsified” documents to claim nationality, FIFA said in a statement.
The two players, Muriel Linda Mendoua Abessolo and Francisca Angue Ondo Asangono, have been banned for 10 matches, and the Equatorial Guinea Football Association has been fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($102,165).
It is not the first time Equatorial Guinea’s women’s team has been punished for fielding ineligible players. They were kicked out of qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics for the same offence.
