FIFA may suspend El Salvador’s federation due government meddling

Football’s governing body FIFA issued a warning to El Salvador on Wednesday (Jul 20) that it could ban the country if the country’s state-run sports institute removes the leaders from the Salvadoran Football Federation (FESFUT).

The INDES national sports institute’s disciplinary court provisionally suspended the seven directors of the FESFUT executive committee last week.

They were suspended by INDES because they refused to “adapt” its statutes to those of a new legislation forcing the country’s sports groups to comply with official demands, according to the organization.

FESFUT’s legal condition will be evaluated by the court, and the INDES Steering Committee will designate its own leaders to begin amending the statutes.

“Outside any statute or regulation applicable to the Federation,” FIFA wrote in an open letter provided by FESFUT. The suspension of the suspended leaders was “recognized” by FIFA.

This “unnecessary involvement,” according to FIFA’s and CONCACAF’s letter, “violates the requirements placed by FIFA regulations on FESFUT,” according to the letter.

For North and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, CONCACAF is a FIFA confederation.

As of July 25, the world’s soccer regulatory authority stated that the matter would be promptly brought to the FIFA Council for a decision that could result in FESFUT being suspended, which would mean it would lose its status as a member organization of FIFA.

El Salvador’s participation in the League of Nations, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the World Cup could be jeopardized as a result of the ruling.

According to INDES president and Nayib President’s half brother Yamil Bukele, the government did not influence the decision last week and will “defend” its position if FIFA sanctions are issued.