The International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) threatened the international suspension of El Salvador if the government, through its sports institution, does not eliminate measures that it considers interfering by Monday July 25.
FIFA issued a letter in San Salvador on Wednesday afternoon stating on July 14 the Steering Committee of the National Sports Institute (INDES) established a Normalizing Committee in the Salvadoran Football Federation (FESFUT ) “outside any statutory and regulatory structure” applicable to the federation.
The statement referred to the imposition of precautionary measures taken by the Disciplinary, Ethics and Appeals Court of INDES to temporarily suspend the members of the Executive Committee of FESFUT and its general secretary from their functions.
“FIFA and CONCACAF would like to remind the entities and bodies that have made the aforementioned decisions that the Executive Committee of FESFUT is the only executive body that has been democratically elected by the Congress of the federation, the legislative and supreme body, and in accordance with the statutes of FESFUT,” expresses the letter signed in Paris by Kenny Jean Marie, director of FIFA Member Associations.
FIFA and CONCACAF consider “the facts described constitute an undue interference” in the affairs of the federation and violate the obligations imposed on FESFUT in the statutes of the world football body.
“Consequently, in the event that the Normalizing Committee implemented by the INDES Steering Committee is not withdrawn before Monday, July 25, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. Swiss time (4:00 a.m. in El Salvador), the matter will be immediately submitted to the Bureau of the FIFA Council to make a decision that could include, among others, the suspension of the FESFUT” on the basis of the FIFA statutes, the letter specifies.
The statement adds that a possible suspension would mean for FESFUT the loss of all its rights as a member of FIFA, with immediate effect and until further notice.
The sanction would prohibit the different national teams of El Salvador or any of its clubs from participating in any international competition as well as suppress the right of FESFUT and its members to benefit from FIFA’s financial development programs.
FIFA’s letter was made known in the middle of a press conference in which the president of INDES, Yamil Bukele, spoke about the situation of El Salvadoran soccer and in which he was about to announce the members of the Normalizing Commission
“If they suspend us, we are going to defend ourselves in a higher instance,” Bukele said. Some understood that he was referring to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Bukele insisted the Sports Disciplinary, Ethics and Appeals Court (TDEA) “is not an INDES court.” The official assures that it is “independent” and was created by the General Sports Law.
Until now, it was not known whether INDES came to form the Normalizing Commission ordered by the TDEA to appear at the FESFUT facilities.
Bukele’s statements were given in the context of the raids by the Attorney General’s Office and the local police at the FESFUT headquarters for alleged crimes of fraudulent administration, money and asset laundering, while several days of professional football were suspended.
A FIFA sanction could harm, among other events, the celebration of the soccer tournament of the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador, less than a year from now.
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