FIFA warn Liverpool over Matip selection

FIFA warned Liverpool on Monday they cannot play Joel Matip unless Africa Cup of Nations participants Cameroon give the Premier League title-chasers permission.

The key central defender missed Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday amid a disagreement over his international status and he could be unavailable for the next month.

Matip last year announced he no longer wished to be considered for selection by Cameroon and was not named in their Africa Cup of Nations squad.

But the 25-year-old, who last played for Cameroon in September 2015, did figure in a preliminary squad list.

In a statement a FIFA spokesperson told AFP that Liverpool had been directed to study article five of its rules.

It states that “a player who has been called up by his association for one of its representative teams is, unless otherwise agreed, not entitled to play for his club during the period for which he has been released, plus an additional period of five days”.

That means Liverpool could be without Matip until they play Tottenham Hotspur on February 11 should Cameroon reach the Nations Cup final in Libreville, Gabon.

In a statement on Sunday Liverpool said it was their view “that the player should be available for club football during the period of the competition and will continue to work for a speedy and unambiguous resolution”.

But the FIFA official warned: “FIFA also indicated that any potential violation of the relevant rules would be the subject of an investigation by its disciplinary commission.”

Matip has returned to fitness after an ankle problem.

Comments

GHANA: NDC condemns NPP attack on members

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed dissatisfaction about the alleged unprovoked attacks on members of the Party, following the Electoral Commission’s declaration of the results of the 2016 Presidential Elections. “We have received several reports of unprovoked physical attacks on supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), across the country,” a statement issued by the NDC National Organiser in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency said. “We wish to request the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and President-elect Nana Akufo Addo to call on their supporters to desist from the attacks and contribute to building a more stable democracy. These attacks are nothing more than situations that can only create chaos should the attacked also decide to defend themselves. “While urging the Security Agencies to move in and protect life and property, we believe that our political parties must be interested in promoting political tolerance among...

KATSINA: SSG APPOINTS ‘YAR’ADUA’ AS NEW CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY

The Secretary to the government of Katsina State, Dr. Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa has approved the appointment of Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu Yaradua as the new Chief Press Secretary of his office. Yar’adua holds a Diploma in Hausa Studies from Katsina Polytechnic; Higher Diploma in Mass Communication from Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic and a Diploma in Journalism from International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), Abuja. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Al-Qalam University Katsina and a Masters Degree in English Literature from Bayero University, Kano. Before his appointment, Yar’adua was the Head of Political Unit of Katsina State Radio and two terms Chairman of NUJ Katsina State Radio Chapel and the immediate past Secretary of the Katsina state Council of the NUJ. Credit: Katsinapost

Homosexuality: One Auwalu Yusuf in prison for raping 2 boys in KANKARA

A Katsina magistrate court has remanded one Auwalu Yusuf, 25, of Maddobal village in Kankara town for allegedly sodomizing two teenagers aged between 12-14 years. Yusuf, who was apprehended and handed over to the police by vigilante officers at the community, was charged with unnatural offence contrary to Section 284 of the Penal Code. According to the Police First Information Report read at the court, the accused criminally entised the victims with his money by taking them to Pole Wire side at Dandutse Quarters and individually sodomised them. The prosecutor, Inspector Kabir Mohammed, told the court that the victims reported the matter to their elder brother who in turn reported the matter to the vigilante, adding that upon interrogation, the said Auwal Yusuf confessed to have committed the act. The presiding magistrate, Fadila Dikko, remanded the accused and adjourned t he case to February 23, saying that it was brought for mention only as the court has no jurisdicti...

Welcome to Safana's Blog

Search This Blog