FIFA decides to lift Switzerland ban threat after Sion punishment

By Andrew Warshaw

January 6 – FIFA has lifted its threat to suspend Switzerland from all domestic and international football following the Swiss Football Association’s (SVF) decision to dock 36 points from rebel club Sion.

FIFA today confirmed the SFV will not be thrown out, ending any lingering chance of Manchester United being reinstated into the Champions League at the expense of Basle.

Football’s world governing body had given a deadline of January 13 for the SFV to take action against Sion for breaking the transfer embargo that has been the subject of a bitter protracted dispute.

On December 30, the SFV, which had previously been reluctant to act, docked Sion 36 points – three for each game in which any of the six illegally signed, ineligible players featured, thereby placing the club in severe danger of relegation.

A FIFA statement today read: “The FIFA Emergency Committee decided [on] 5 January 2012 to consider the requirements established by the FIFA Executive Committee on 16 December 2011 as fulfilled by the Swiss Football Association and that the SFV will consequently not be suspended in relation to the FIFA executive committee’s decision of 16 December.”

Sion are refusing to accept the sanction, which put them bottom of the league with minus five points.

They have accused the SVF of caving to pressure from FIFA and acting against its own statutes.

With that in mind, FIFA made it clear it will not stand for the SVF relenting.

“FIFA has requested the SFV to keep the international football governing body informed on any future developments with regards to this matter,” they said.

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