Chung fears FIFA’s action

By HENRY MORABANG
PAPUA New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA) fears it may face suspension from FIFA for the recent government interference of the sporting code.
PNGFA president David Chung, speaking from Tokyo, Japan last night said FIFA, as one of the most powerful sporting bodies in the world, would not tolerate government interference one bit.
He said any slightest hint of government meddling, may mean ban the country’s football team and force the government to comply.
Chung’s comments came after he learnt that the government has recently appointed new Sports Vice-Minister Labi Amaiu as minister for Rugby League and Soccer.
He said the biggest fear is that PNGFA would be banned from all FIFA sanctioned competition, including World Cup qualifiers, South Pacific Games, Nations Cup and also taking part in the lucrative club competition, the O-League
“There is a very clear message around the world where many countries including super powers of the game such as Portugal and Spain, had been warned and they backed off,” he said.
“France also faced FIFA’s wrath by nearly getting into hot waters when its government stated that it would launch an investigation into the poor performance of the national team at the 2010 World Cup because they were knocked out in the first round,” he added.
Chung, who is also the president of Oceania Football Confederation, said over the years many countries had fallen foul of FIFA’s rules.
Bangladesh was banned for government interference in 2002, Kenya faced the same fate in 2004, Greece and Iran faced bans in 2006 and in 2008 the Republic of Chad, Madagascar and Iraq all faced bans.
PNGFA does not receive any government funding like rugby league since its establishment except for sponsorship of major soccer events in the country.
Chung wanted to seek legal opinion on this from FIFA’s legal affairs department on the implications of having a government minister responsible for soccer.
Chung said he had asked his PNGFA secretariat to find out how the Vice-Minister will want to get involved in soccer, noting that the only recognised body to run the affairs of soccer was PNGFA and not the government .
PNGFA is hoping the appointment of the Vice- Minister is not done as an attempt to interfere with soccer but could merely have been done so to lift the profile of soccer in the country.