Post by Taxigirl on Apr 17, 2004 9:34:14 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/3633409.stm
Cameroon's hopes of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup have been hit after Fifa docked them six points for their one-piece kit in the African Cup of Nations.
Fifa rules only permit the use of a separate jersey and shorts and has fined Cameroon £86,000 (US$154,000).
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee at their headquarters in Zurich on Friday.
A Fifa statement said that the Cameroon kit represented a "serious infringement of the Laws of the Game".
After Cameroon used the one-piece kit for the start of the Nations Cup competition Fifa ordered them to have a different outfit for the quarter-finals.
But when they ran out in the same gear for their last-eight tie with Nigeria Fifa warned them they would face sanctions.
The Fifa statement added: "Fifa had shown leniency at the time for Cameroon's attire in the group round of the competition after the association had given assurances that the team would wear authorised playing kit in the knock-out phases.
"Despite this agreement, Cameroon subsequently wore the same equipment in the quarter-finals.
"The Disciplinary Committee opened an inquiry on 13 February, 2004 in order to rule on this serious infringement of the Laws of the Game and the association's failure to fulfil the pledge made to Fifa."
Cameroon begin their World Cup qualifying campaign in African Group Three along with Egypt, Ivory Coast, Libya, Sudan and Benin.
And Theophile Abega, who sits on the commission of the African Football Confederation, said Cameroon must fight to recover the lost points.
"The authorities and Fecafoot (Cameroon football federation) must appeal, otherwise we can't qualify for the World Cup.
"This really is a very heavy penalty for Cameroon."
The official response from Fecafoot was more restrained.
"All I can tell you is that the executive committee of Fecafoot is going to meet and a decision will be taken," said Pierre Nguidjol Nlend, the national team's administrative director.
Cameroon's hopes of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup have been hit after Fifa docked them six points for their one-piece kit in the African Cup of Nations.
Fifa rules only permit the use of a separate jersey and shorts and has fined Cameroon £86,000 (US$154,000).
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee at their headquarters in Zurich on Friday.
A Fifa statement said that the Cameroon kit represented a "serious infringement of the Laws of the Game".
After Cameroon used the one-piece kit for the start of the Nations Cup competition Fifa ordered them to have a different outfit for the quarter-finals.
But when they ran out in the same gear for their last-eight tie with Nigeria Fifa warned them they would face sanctions.
The Fifa statement added: "Fifa had shown leniency at the time for Cameroon's attire in the group round of the competition after the association had given assurances that the team would wear authorised playing kit in the knock-out phases.
"Despite this agreement, Cameroon subsequently wore the same equipment in the quarter-finals.
"The Disciplinary Committee opened an inquiry on 13 February, 2004 in order to rule on this serious infringement of the Laws of the Game and the association's failure to fulfil the pledge made to Fifa."
Cameroon begin their World Cup qualifying campaign in African Group Three along with Egypt, Ivory Coast, Libya, Sudan and Benin.
And Theophile Abega, who sits on the commission of the African Football Confederation, said Cameroon must fight to recover the lost points.
"The authorities and Fecafoot (Cameroon football federation) must appeal, otherwise we can't qualify for the World Cup.
"This really is a very heavy penalty for Cameroon."
The official response from Fecafoot was more restrained.
"All I can tell you is that the executive committee of Fecafoot is going to meet and a decision will be taken," said Pierre Nguidjol Nlend, the national team's administrative director.