[rondwisan]

Troubled Togo threatened with suspension
Reuters - October 11 2010, 19:33



Togo were threatened with an international ban on Monday unless their soccer federation holds elections by early next month.

The announcement by soccer's governing body FIFA came less than a month after it was discovered that a "fake" Togo side took part in an international friendly against Bahrain.

FIFA said on Monday that it had accepted a request from the Togolese federation (FTF) to extend the deadline for elections until Nov. 6, but said no further extensions would be granted.

"The (FIFA) emergency committee has made it clear that if elections are not held by Nov. 6 for whatever reason, the FTF will be automatically suspended," FIFA said in a statement.

"In addition, the FTF has been requested to send FIFA a new schedule for the elections as soon as possible."

Togo's year began tragically when an assistant coach and a media officer were killed in an ambush on the team bus by separatists in the Angolan enclave of Cabinda before the start of the African Nations Cup finals.

The West Africans pulled out of the tournament amid worldwide sympathy, only to be banned from the next editions of the competition by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The ban was later overturned following mediation by FIFA.

Togo, who took part in the 2006 World Cup when players threatened to withdraw from the match against Switzerland over a pay row, suffered another blow in May when captain Emmanuel Adebayor said he was quitting international football.

The Manchester City forward said he was still haunted by events in Angola.

In early September, Togo lost 3-0 to Bahrain in a friendly but their poor performance immediately raised suspicions.

Two weeks later, the FTF said the team were a group of imposters and suspended assistant coach Tchanile Bana for three years, blaming him for organising, preparing and supervising the match.