FIFA lifts 9-month long suspension on Kenya’s football federation

FIFA, the world governing body of soccer, has lifted its suspension of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) after nine months.

The decision, which take effect immediately, was made following the reinstatement of the FKF executive committee, according to a letter from CAF Secretary General Fatma Samoura to FKF General Secretary Barry Otieno.

“The Bureau was informed of the official letter dated 4 November 2022 from the FKF General Secretary Barry Otieno to FIFA, confirming that the Kenyan government as represented by the newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Sports, the Ababu Namwamba, had reinstated the FKF Executive Committee with immediate effect. The Bureau also noted that the FKF General Secretary further asserted that the FKF offices had been handed back to the association’s elected leadership,” the letter reads in part.

Kenya submitted the situation of the FKF to the Bureau of the FIFA Council for consideration and decision on 25 November 2022

The governing body will deploy a FIFA-CAF mission to Nairobi in order to define the next steps for the FKF and to also meet with the newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Sports.

According to Samoura, the FKF’s suspension has been lifted without affecting the ongoing national inquiries and legal cases.

After the government established a caretaker committee to oversee national football affairs, Kenya was handed the ban in February of this year.

The world governing body had stated that the suspension would only be lifted after receiving confirmation from the FKF and its management that the FKF and its facilities are once again completely and unconditionally under their control.

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, made the decision to permanently ban the country from all football-related activities.

story by NTV kenya