FIFA's Silence Looms Over South Africa's World Cup Qualification

FIFA's reluctance to deduct points from South Africa for using an ineligible player in a World Cup qualifier has cast a shadow over the upcoming African qualifiers. The South African side, which admitted its mistake, fielded Tebeho Mokoena in a 2-0 win over Lesotho, despite his prior suspensions. South Africa relies on the absence of any formal protest to retain the points, heightening the anticipation of a disciplinary decision.

FIFA's Disciplinary Code provides the framework for action against teams that field ineligible players, stating: "If a player receives a caution in two FIFA competition matches, they must serve an automatic suspension for the next match. A team fielding an ineligible player leads to an automatic match forfeiture, usually resulting in a 3-0 loss." As confusion persists, Gernot Rohr, Benin's coach, expressed his concerns about the unresolved point allocation.

Repeated inquiries to FIFA from affected nations, including Nigeria, have met with silence, exacerbating tensions as South Africa edges closer to securing qualification. South Africa currently leads the standings in Group C as they prepare to face Nigeria in an upcoming decisive match. The uncertainty underscores the urgency for a resolution, which could drastically alter the competition's landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)