of fielding an ineligible player, Minyahil Teshome, during the Ethiopian National Team's qualification game against Botswana, Ethiopian football fans – who were ecstatic after the team defeated South Africa 2 – 1 in Addis Ababa on Sunday – are irate over the mediocrity of the EFF officials.
The blunder occurred after EFF officials overlooked a communique, sent to them by the football governing body, banning Minyahil as he had picked up two yellow cards in the first leg matches against Botswana and South Africa. And at beginning of the week, the president of the EFF, Sahilu Gebrewold, admitted that his side used a suspended player in a 2014 World Cup qualifier.
FIFA rules mean that any team found to have breached the guidelines “will be sanctioned by forfeiting the match”. As a result, Ethiopia will lose the three points from their win over Botswana on June 8.
Amid the frenzy, the EFF has called a general meeting for Monday (24) at the Ghion Hotel, to discuss with stakeholders the pratfall that befalls the Ethiopian National Team.
Irate fans are expressing their anger on different platforms, including social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and are calling for the punishment of the guilty parties and the resignation of the EFF leadership.
The EFF leadership publicly apologized during a press conference, held at the Ghion Hotel on Tuesday, and said that responsible individuals within the Federation will be penalized.
“What happened is saddening and I hope that the Federation will do the right thing to rectify the mishaps that occurred,” Abdissa Yadeta, commissioner of the Federal Sports Commission, told The Reporter in a telephone interview.
The decision has handed a lifeline back to 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa, as they would only trail group leaders Ethiopia by two points going into the final round of matches in September. Ethiopia are to play the fourth placed Central African Republic, while South Africa take on Botswana.
http://www.thereporterethiopia.com
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