And if Tunisia, the third opponent of the France team at the World Cup, on November 30, was prevented from playing in the World Cup in Qatar? The scenario seems improbable but it exists. Fifa this week sent a letter to the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) asking for clarification on its situation because it fears interference by the Tunisian government in the affairs of the FTF.
It all started with a statement by the Minister of Youth and Sport, Kamel Deguiche, who threatened to change the leaders of the FTF. In Zurich, we saw red and Fifa officially wrote to the FTF to ask them to shed light on this affair.
“State authorities would seem to want to interfere in the affairs of the FTF”
“It has been brought to our attention that the state authorities seem to want to interfere in the affairs of the FTF, in particular by considering the dissolution of the Federal Bureau of the FTF, worried Fifa in its letter addressed to the Tunisian Fed. and revealed by local Mosaïque FM radio. In this respect, we would like to remind you that the member associations of Fifa are statutorily obliged to manage their affairs independently and without undue influence from third parties. »
Before deciding on a possible sanction against Tunisia, which can go as far as the suspension of the federation and therefore an exclusion from the selection, Fifa gave the FTF a few days to clarify its situation.
It is up to the leaders of Tunisian football to allay FIFA’s concern from now on. Because for now, even if it seems minimal, the risk of seeing the Carthage Eagles not fly to Qatar is real.
It is especially on the side of Italy that the information will be followed with the most insistence. In the event of Tunisian exclusion, the Nazionale, the unqualified team best placed in the world rankings, could then be fished out.