"Positive evolution" in Poland-Uefa standoff
Monday, 06 Oct 2008 14:40
Poland's national association feared being ousted from Uefa
Football's world governing body Fifa has confirmed that a "positive evolution" has abated fears that Poland could be thrown out of the Uefa organisation.
The governing bodies became concerned that the national association (PZPN) was no longer being run as an independent body after administrators were appointed last week to deal with ongoing corruption issues.
Fifa and Uefa had set a deadline of 11:00 BST today for the government to reinstate an independent ruling body, or risk being expelled from the European football family and stripped of co-hosting duties for Euro 2012.
However, in a statement Fifa confirmed this deadline had been met by "an exchange of communications" between the association and the national government, which set out a roadmap to re-establishing an independent sporting body in the country.
"The sports ministry has agreed to adhere to the main principles of the roadmap that had been agreed by the Polish government, Fifa and Uefa in 2007, with the re-activation of the Independent Electoral Committee (ICE) composed of state authorities and representatives of Fifa and Uefa in order to ensure that the correct procedures are followed in the upcoming elections to the PZPN," a statement from the world governing body confirmed.
"At the same time, the Polish sports ministry has declared that as soon as the ICE has begun its work, at the latest early tomorrow (October 7th 2008), the Polish National Olympic Committee will be asked to withdraw the temporary administrator of the PZPN."
Fifa confirmed that these moves mean Poland's two upcoming qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup at home to Czech Republic and away to Slovakia, on October 11th and 15th respectively, would be allowed to take place.
However, Fifa added it would "continue to closely monitor the situation at the Polish FA and the implementation of the measures established in the roadmap".
"The matter will be analysed and discussed once more at the next Fifa executive committee meeting on October 23rd and 24th," the statement concluded.
The problems came just ten days after Poland, and co-hosts of Euro 2012 Ukraine, were told to speed up their preparations for the tournament.
Uefa officials had been unhappy about the current infrastructure in place in the capital cities of both countries and their ability to host the influx of travelling supporters during the tournament.