Iraq FA tenure extended by FIFA

AFC – KUALA LUMPUR, The suspense over Iraq’s participation in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011™ has ended with FIFA extending the tenure of the current Iraq Football Association (IFA) executive committee for a year.

The decision lifted the threat of another suspension and will enable the Iraq national team to defend their continental title in Doha next January.

“FIFA has taken note of the situation which surrounded the elections of the new IFA board on 24 July 2010 with the holding of two General Assemblies in Arbil and in Baghdad,” FIFA said in a statement.

“Under these circumstances, the case was refered to the FIFA Emergency Committee which decided to extend the current mandate of the IFA Executive Committee for one year, meaning until 31 July 2011. This deadline should allow both groups to settle their differences and to thus permit the election of a new board.”

Iraq’s national team has not played an official match since last November when it began a five-month FIFA suspension after the national Olympic committee tried to disband the football federation.

Iraq are scheduled to play against Yemen and Palestine in Amman, Jordan, in the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Championship in September to prepare for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011™ where they were placed alongside Iran, DPR Korea and the United Arab Emirates.