FIFA warns against Iraqi government meddling in football affairs

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – World football’s governing body FIFA on Friday warned Iraqi authorities against meddling in the affairs of the Iraqi Football Association (IFA).

In an official letter—released to the media and obtained by Kurdistan 24—FIFA invited the President of the IFA, Abed-Alkhaliq Masoud Ahmed, and the Iraqi Minister of Youth and Sport to its headquarters in Zurich to discuss government meddling in Iraq’s football affairs.

The IFA President had previously written a letter to FIFA on April 29 regarding “grave governmental meddling in the affairs of IFA.”

The Football Association’s Legal Counsel, Nezar Ahmed, followed up in an email sent to FIFA on May 1 citing the same accusations of government interference in sport.

“Following internal consultations, we kindly invite you [Head of the IFA] and the Iraqi Minister of Youth and Sport to the Home of FIFA in Zurich to take part in a meeting with the FIFA administration,” the FIFA letter added.

According to the letter, “the current situation of the Iraqi Football Association” will be discussed in the meeting.

The IFA is locked in a dispute with the Ministry of Youth and Sport due to a lawsuit filed by the latter accusing IFA members of wasting public money. The IFA has responded by taking the matter to the sport’s governing body.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany