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[belizeculture]

The Football Federation of Belize is currently suspended from participating in all regional or international football activities organized by FIFA and its affiliates. The notice sent shockwaves across the nation in the midst of a protracted standoff between the Government of Belize and the F.F.B.

The FIFA decision came following a letter sent by Minister of Sports John Saldivar stating that government would not be providing security or assistance to accommodate the visiting national team from Montserrat. While much has been said about the suspension, the ramifications of having barred Belize from competing in preliminary games that could qualify the home team for a place in World Cup 2014 have been understated. Unless the issue can be resolved between GOB and F.F.B. by July tenth, all bets are off for Belize to advance in the World Cup qualifiers. Senior Vice President Bernaldino Pech reiterated that point from the letter FIFA sent to F.F.B.

“In the event that the match cannot take place by that date the National ‘A’ representative team of Belize will be excluded from the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil preliminary competition. The Football Federation of Belize is immediately suspended due to the interference of the Belize government. The suspension will last until the Belize government reverses its decision. In addition any action taken by the government against the office bearers of the F.F.B. will not be recognized. We kindly ask you to keep us updated of our efforts to resolve this issue and of the evolution of the situation.

Sincerely yours, for FIFA, Markus Kattner, Deputy General Secretary.

Channel 5
This letter was also copied to CONCACAF.

On Friday F.F.B. President Dr. Bertie Chimilio filed an injunction against government in the Supreme Court which is scheduled to be heard by June twenty-seventh. In other international football news FIFA executive member and the region’s point man Jack Warner, who was also president of CONCACAF and was
the focus of a corruption investigation, tendered his resignation from the world football governing body on Monday.