Iraq disbands football federation board

BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraq's Olympic committee dissolved the Iraqi Football Association on Monday, drawing a quick warning from FIFA that any government meddling in the federation could lead to the suspension of Iraq's teams.

Samir al-Moussawi, a member of the Olympic committee's executive bureau, said the football association was being disbanded because of alleged financial and administrative irregularities and the repeated delaying of internal elections.

"We held many meetings with the former football federation and were hoping to reach an agreement with them in order to avoid a decision like this, but we did not see any response from them," al-Moussawi told reporters.

"When we took this decision, we bore in mind all the consequences of suspension or punishment, but we are working from now to get out from this situation -- God willing."

He said a temporary board will be named to run the federation until fresh elections can be held.

The football federation's deputy chief, Najih Hamoud, rejected the decision, saying it "has no legitimacy because it contradicts FIFA laws" and the Olympic committee "is not authorized to make such a decision."

Football's world governing body, FIFA, also said the committee has no right to intervene in the affairs of the association and warned that any government involvement could lead to the suspension of Iraq's teams.

But FIFA also said it is waiting for more information before taking action.

Al-Moussawi insisted the committee had the power to dissolve the federation under Iraqi law.

"We are athletes, and we have the right to intervene in the affairs of all the (sports) federations we supervise," he said.

Al-Moussawi later told The Associated Press that eight of the 11 members of the Olympic committee's executive bureau approved the decision to dissolve the federation.

Last month, FIFA granted the Iraqi Football Association until April 30, 2010 to adopt new statutes and elect a new board, stressing that the process had to be done without government interference.

At the time, FIFA voiced concern in a statement that "some quarters in the Iraqi government might be trying to force earlier elections or otherwise interfere in the process."

This would not be Iraq's first run-in with football's world governing body.

Last year, FIFA slapped a ban on Iraqi teams after the Iraqi government dissolved the national Olympic committee, along with all sports federations. The ban was lifted after the government assured FIFA that the football federation had been excluded from the government decision.

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