Could the national team of Tunisia be excluded from the World Cup in Qatar? This is the fear that has agitated Tunisians since October 26th. In a letter addressed to the president of the Tunisian Football Federation, Wadii Jarii, Kenny Jean-Marie, the Chief Member Associations Officer of FIFAthe representative of the National Federations within FIFA, is thus concerned about the alleged attempts of interference by the Tunisian government in the governance of the Tunisian Federation.
Fifa member associations are statutorily required to manage their affairs independently.
FIFA member Kenny Jean-Marie in a letter to the Tunisian Football Federation.
“It has been brought to our attention that the state authorities seem to want to interfere in the affairs of the Tunisian Football Federation, in particular by considering the dissolution of the Federal Bureau of the FTF. In this regard, we would like to remind you that the member associations of Fifa are statutorily obliged to manage their affairs independently and without undue influence from third parties.“, Can we read in the letter of October 24 and addressed to the president of the Tunisian Football Federation, Wadii Jarii.
According to Tunisian Radio Mosaique FM, Kamel Deguiche, the Minister of Sports, was considering the possibility of dissolving federal offices of various disciplines, including football. TV5MONDE tried to contact the Ministry of Sports. Without success. According to the media, without citing its sources, relations would be execrable between the president of the Tunisian Federation Wadii Jarii and Kamel Deguiche.
FIFA sanctions attempts to interfere with political power
FIFA sanctions attempts by any political power to interfere in the affairs of Federations which are independent. Sanctions have already fallen in 2022 against Kenya and Zimbabwe. The national teams of these two countries, due to attempts to interfere with political power, have been excluded from qualifying for the African Cup of Nations in 2024 in Côte d’Ivoire.
FIFA would not consider excluding Tunisia from the World Cup
How to interpret the letter from Kenny Jean-Marie representing FIFA?
Joined by TV5MONDE, FIFA recalls that it was the Tunisian Federation that alerted FIFA. The letter from FIFA, recalling that political power should not interfere in the governance of the Federation was a request from the Tunisian Federation. Even though FIFA does not want to use this term, FIFA’s letter was intended to “protect” Tunisian football from political interference.
Can Tunisia be excluded from the World Cup in Qatar? Within FIFA, it is estimated that the time is not yet for sanctions. According to our information collected from the international football body, the exclusion of Tunisia from the World Cup in Qatar is not envisaged.