NFF Writes FIFA, Demands Sanctions Against South Africa in World Cup Qualifiers
- The Nigeria Football Federation has formally reached out to FIFA to sanction South Africa with a forfeiture of three points and three goals
- Bafana Bafana's quest for the World Cup ticket could suffer a huge blow after they fielded Teboho Mokoena in their 2-0 win over Lesotho
- With South Africa leading with 17 points, followed by Benin with 14 and Nigeria with 11, a potential sanction could determine the group's situation
The Nigeria Football Federation has sent an official letter to FIFA, demanding that South Africa forfeit three points and three goals in the World Cup qualifiers.
Bafana Bafana fielded an ineligible player during their 2-0 win over Lesotho in March, with the game, plunging the group situation into uncertainty.
Teboho Mokoena had received yellow cards in two previous matches prior to that game, and the Mamelodi Sundowns star should have served a match suspension.
Source: Getty Images
However, he was in the starting line-up during that game, and other teams in the group are demanding sanctions.
With two matches left in the qualification series, South Africa lead the group with 17 points, Benin have 14, while Nigeria are on 11 points.
Should Bafana Bafana be sanctioned, it could be decisive on which team picks the automatic ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, per NBC Sports.
Recall that Nigeria were docked three points in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after they fielded Shehu Abdullahi, who was ineligible due to accumulated yellow cards.
FIFA ruled the 1-1 draw against Algeria as a 3-0 forfeited loss for Nigeria, resulting in the deduction.
However, the penalty did not affect Nigeria's qualification for the World Cup but was a significant administrative error.
Confirming the NFF's letter to FIFA, the NFF general secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, noted that there is anxiety among all the teams in the group.
He said on a TikTok video:
"Three points, three goals were deducted against us, nobody complained. That is a rule that if you field an ineligible player, you lose the match by three goals three points.
"That took a lot of time, almost a year, before the decision was reached by FIFA.
"Now, because of the fact that the qualifiers are going on and the hype, we have also written because Nigerians and other teams in the group are also waiting for feedback.
"We don't know the situation on the ground, in view of the fact that there is anxiety among all the teams that are in that group.
"It has happened to us and it has happened to other countries, and I have not seen FIFA deviating."
Source: Getty Images
Lesotho write FIFA
Legit.ng earlier reported that the secretary general of the Lesotho Football Association, Mokhosi Mohapi, confirmed that a letter has been written to FIFA after South Africa fielded an ineligible player against the Crocodiles.
Lesotho are currently 5th on the table with 6 points, but they could move to 9 should South Africa be sanctioned. Mohapi, however, admitted that the time to lodge a protest had passed.
Source: Legit.ng
