FIFA Throw Out South Africa Protest, Ghana World Cup Dream Still Alive

FIFA has dismissed South Africa’s protest for a replay of the 2022 World Cup qualifier.

South Africa wanted the crucial qualifier against Ghana in which they lost 1-0 replayed, and also protested about Senegalese referee Ndiaye Maguette.

Bafana Bafana had claimed they were “robbed” after their defeat last month, with the only goal in the game scored from a first-half penalty.

South African Football Association (SAF) were convinced they had provided enough evidence to back their match manipulation claims and were confident of FIFA granting their request for a replay and also banning Maguette.

However the statement from the world governing body indicated their protest did not meet the requirements under art.46 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

“The protest lodged by South Africa has been declared inadmissible by the Disciplinary Committee as it did not meet the requirements foreseen under art. 46 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and art. 14 of the Regulations of the Preliminary Competition of the FIFA World Cup 2022,” FIFA said in a statement.

Meanwhile, an appeal by Benin about substitutions made by DR Congo in another crunch qualifier on the same day has also been thrown out.

Fifa’s disciplinary committee declared both protests inadmissible as they did not meet relevant requirements – but also added the decisions are subject to appeal.

While Fifa referred to its Disciplinary Code and the regulations for the World Cup qualifiers, it did not offer the exact reasons for the rulings.

It means, as it stands, that Ghana and DR Congo will be in January’s draw for the African World Cup play-offs, with two-legged ties to decide the continent’s five representatives in Qatar set to be played in March.

The decisions are however subject to appeal, FIFA added.