Tunisia has been threatened with exclusion from the 2022 World Cup by FIFA, the world’s governing body of association football.
FIFA has threatened to ban the nation in response to remarks made by its minister of sports.
After Kamel Deguiche, the minister of youth and sports, mentioned the potential of “dissolving federal offices of different disciplines,” Tunisia’s participation in the competition is in jeopardy.
Evidently, FIFA interpreted that to refer to the Tunisian Football Association (FTF). The world football governing body has requested clarification of these remarks in a letter that was obtained through a breach in security and made public by the radio station Mosaique FM.
The letter noted “State authorities’ attempts to interfere in the Tunisian Federation’s internal affairs and its threats to dissolve FTF’s office”.
FIFA warned that its members “are legally obligated to conduct their affairs independently and without undue influence from third parties.” It added that failure to comply “may result in the imposition of penalties under the FIFA laws, including suspension of the relevant association.”
