Benin Suspended By FIFA

FIFA has suspended the Benin Football Federation (FBF) from global football after a court ruling in the country blocked upcoming elections.

A statement from football’s world governing body said: “The Benin Football Association (FBF) was suspended with immediate effect due to a recent injunction by a local judicial court which impeded the holding of the due election.”

It means Benin are set to miss June’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Equatorial Guinea.

The decision was made at the inaugural meeting of the FIFA Council, which has replaced the Executive Committee, meeting, which is being held in Mexico.

A court ruling in Benin on 4 May prevented the FBF from holding presidential elections and the suspension will be lifted only once a new Executive Committee has been installed.

The FBF has been overseen by a FIFA-appointed normalisation committee since September 2015 and they had been tasked to organise elections.

Benin are currently second in Group C, two points behind group leaders Mali.

The Squirrels are due to host Equatorial Guinea on the weekend of 3-5 June and then travel to face Mali in September.

Only the group winners are guaranteed a place at the 2017 finals in Gabon but Benin are currently the best of the second-placed teams and could qualify as one of the two best runners-up.

The FIFA Council meeting also ratified a recent decision of the bureau of the Council to appoint a normalisation committee to run the daily affairs of the Guinea Football Federation.

BBC

Benin Suspended By FIFA

Sabahn Laryea Suspended From Hearts-Techiman City Clash

Midfielder Sabahn Laryea is suspended from Accra Hearts of Oak’s next Ghana Premier League (GPL) game on Sunday after picking up a third yellow card of the season.

The combative enforcer will sit out the visit to the Nana Ameyaw Park in Techiman, where the Phobians will confront local side Techiman City in a Match-Day Seven GPL encounter.

Laryea received his third yellow card of the season in the 1-3 loss to Wa All Stars at the Accra Sports Stadium last Sunday as Hearts lost their unbeaten start to the campaign.

The player has featured in all of the club’s GPL games this season, playing a pivotal role as the Phobians went unbeaten in their opening five games of the season.

He has been very influential in the side as his partnership with Mustapha Essuman in the heart of the midfield being one of the best in the league this season.

“I am sorry I have to miss Sunday’s game at Techiman, as I was looking forward to this encounter,” Laryea told the club’s official newspaper, the Hearts News.

“However, I have faith and believe in the quality we have in the squad, and, trust that they will return to Accra with a positive result,” he said.

The game with Techiman City will be Hearts’ fourth away game of the season with the Phobians having beaten Medeama SC and Inter Allies and drawing with Ebusua Dwarfs in previous encounters.

Sabahn Laryea Suspended From Hearts-Techiman City Clash

Prosecutor Seeks Suspended Jail Term For New Chelsea Boss

An Italian prosecutor wants incoming Chelsea boss Antonio Conte to get a six-month suspended prison sentence and fine over his alleged role in a match-fixing case, according to his lawyer.

Conte, who denies any wrongdoing, is accused by prosecutors in the city of Cremona of “sporting fraud”.

The case focuses on 2011, when he was in charge of Siena in Serie B.

The 46-year-old former Juventus boss will become Chelsea head coach after managing Italy at Euro 2016.

Conte has already served a ban imposed by the Italian soccer federation in connection with the 2011 case.

Prosecutor Roberto di Martino has cited a match against Albino Leffe, claiming Conte knew of match-fixing efforts. He requested the sentence and 8,000 euro fine in a closed-doors hearing in Cremona on Tuesday.

Conte’s lawyer, Leonardo Cammarata, said the defence is due to make its final statement to the court on 11 April and a verdict is due in mid-May.

A Chelsea spokesman said the club would not comment on an ongoing investigation.

Credit: BBC

Prosecutor Seeks Suspended Jail Term For New Chelsea Boss