FIFA suspends Ethiopia

Associated Press

July 29, 2008 at 10:18 AM EDT

ZURICH — Ethiopia was suspended by FIFA on Tuesday after failing to comply with agreed steps to solve the leadership dispute within its federation following the dismissal of its president in January.

FIFA said it suspended the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) following the noncompliance with the so-called roadmap agreed in February, and in particular the failure to organize an extraordinary general assembly to decide who would be the federation's top officials.

EFF members who opposed current president Ashebir Woldegiorgis in January elected their own top officials in a separate assembly that was not recognized by FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

They subsequently took over the EFF offices.

The roadmap, worked out with FIFA and CAF, included the recognition of Ashebir and the remaining members of the EFF executive committee unless an extraordinary general assembly set for March decided otherwise.

EFF had also committed to giving back the offices to the recognized federation officials.

"Despite several reminders sent by FIFA in recent months, none of the steps established in the roadmap have been taken," FIFA said in a statement.