FIFA disciplinary action on FKF will not affect CHAN

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has assured Kenya the hosting rights for the 2018 Africa Home Nations Championships will not be affected the the disciplinary proceeding opened against the local federation by world body FIFA.

Speaking in Nairobi on Friday, CAF Executive Committee Member, Tanzanian Leodegar Tenga assured the country that ‘not every disciplinary action resulted in a ban’.

On Thursday, FIFA announced it had opened disciplinary proceedings against Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and 12 other local governing bodies in the region for participating in the 2015 CECAFA Cup Challenge held in Ethiopia that was not sanctioned by CAF.

In a letter written to FIFA from CAF, the continental body noted it had not received any hosting form for the 38th edition of the regional tournament which Kenya took part during the reign of former FKF President Sam Nyamweya.

“FIFA’s action is affecting all countries that participated in the competition and it is not written anywhere that every disciplinary action must result in a ban.

“There are many ways of settling such matters, so there no need to panic,” Tenga offered.

Tenga added even a potential change of guard at CAF during the March elections would not affect its stand regarding CHAN hosting rights.

“CAF is an institution, so whoever is the president is bound to decisions agreed upon by stakeholders. We cannot pre- empt the outcome of the elections,” Tenga underscored.

FKF boss, Nick Mwendwa distanced himself from the saga having succeeded Nyamweya last year.

“We have heard how CAF is committed to have CHAN here. Remember they are aware of all this. You saw CAF was in the letters attached showing how we participated in the said unsanctioned tournament.

“This should not deter anyone, it is a case that will be settled amicably because we have committed ourselves to comply with FIFA’s statues and directives,” Mwendwa emphasised.

According to FIFA, Kenya infringed on its statutes on Regulations Governing International Matches according to which; “members to which a Representative Team, Club Team or Domestic Team participating in an International Match or competition belongs, shall be responsible for obtaining authorisation from their confederation as set forth herein.”

The world body stated the matter had been referred to the next meeting of the Fifa Disciplinary committee where the case will be analyzed ‘with regard to a possible violation of the above mentioned regulations’ and a decision reached on whether sanctions will be imposed against the FKF.

According to Article 10, paragraph one of the FIFA statutes, “Members whose representative team will participate in an international match as well as a member on whose territory an International match is planned shall request the authorization of the Confederation to which they are affiliated at least 21 days before the earliest of the proposed dates for such match.”

FIFA’s impending action has elicited talk that Kenya could lose its hosting rights for 2018 CHAN despite frantic efforts put so far to stage the biennial championship for the first time in history.