Poland risks Euro 2012 over government meddling
Poland risks losing the right to co-host Euro 2012 after FIFA and UEFA said on Tuesday that football's governing bodies do not recognise the administrator appointed by the Polish government to run the country's FA.
"FIFA and UEFA will immediately start joint consultation to decide the measures to be taken regarding the PZPN (FA) and the future of Polish football, and to be proposed to the forthcoming meeting of the FIFA executive committee in Zurich on (October) 23-24," FIFA and UEFA said in a joint statement.
A FIFA spokesman confirmed that under FIFA rules one of the range of measures available to the world governing body is suspension from all levels of the game. If suspended, Poland risks losing the right to co-host Euro 2012 alongside Ukraine.
"We cannot speculate on what might or might not happen. We must wait and see what happens at the meeting next month," a UEFA spokesman said.
"But this is the most serious situation that can happen and, of course, we are very concerned about the situation since Poland is hosting Euro 2012."
The management board of the Polish FA was suspended on Monday by the country's arbitration tribunal at the request of Warsaw's sports ministry in an anti-corruption drive. Robert Zawlocki was appointed as an administrator in their place.
"FIFA and UEFA continue to recognise the current leadership of the PZPN chaired by Michal Listkiewicz as the only legitimate authority to run football in Poland and to represent it internationally," the FIFA/UEFA statement said.
"As a consequence, any letter, correspondence and/or communication...that is signed under the authority of Mr Robert Zawlocki, will be ignored and considered irrelevant."
FIFA rules do not allow government interference in the running of its associations. Poland was warned in 2007 it risked suspension after the government appointed a commissioner as head of the FA in a previous crackdown on corruption. Link
"FIFA and UEFA will immediately start joint consultation to decide the measures to be taken regarding the PZPN (FA) and the future of Polish football, and to be proposed to the forthcoming meeting of the FIFA executive committee in Zurich on (October) 23-24," FIFA and UEFA said in a joint statement.
A FIFA spokesman confirmed that under FIFA rules one of the range of measures available to the world governing body is suspension from all levels of the game. If suspended, Poland risks losing the right to co-host Euro 2012 alongside Ukraine.
"We cannot speculate on what might or might not happen. We must wait and see what happens at the meeting next month," a UEFA spokesman said.
"But this is the most serious situation that can happen and, of course, we are very concerned about the situation since Poland is hosting Euro 2012."
The management board of the Polish FA was suspended on Monday by the country's arbitration tribunal at the request of Warsaw's sports ministry in an anti-corruption drive. Robert Zawlocki was appointed as an administrator in their place.
"FIFA and UEFA continue to recognise the current leadership of the PZPN chaired by Michal Listkiewicz as the only legitimate authority to run football in Poland and to represent it internationally," the FIFA/UEFA statement said.
"As a consequence, any letter, correspondence and/or communication...that is signed under the authority of Mr Robert Zawlocki, will be ignored and considered irrelevant."
FIFA rules do not allow government interference in the running of its associations. Poland was warned in 2007 it risked suspension after the government appointed a commissioner as head of the FA in a previous crackdown on corruption. Link
posted by BEING HAD at 1:53 AM
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