November 18, 2008
Ethiopia remains banned from international football after the failure of talks aimed at resolving the dispute which has split the country’s football federation (EFF).
Football’s world governing body Fifa invited both sides, plus the Ethiopian government, to the talks.
Fifa says the government pulled out at the last minute and that “no solution” was found.
Ethiopia was thrown out of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations because of the dispute.
Fifa recognises Dr Ashebir Woldegiorgis as the President of the EFF but the rival group has day to day control.
Fifa says representatives of its leader, Ahmed Yassin, failed to accept the principles laid out in a “road map” agreement - that Dr Ashebir is the rightful President of the EFF and that a congress should be held to arrange fresh elections.
“Fifa explained clearly that it will continue to follow its principles and that two different offices cannot be allowed to organise football in one country,” the governing body said in a statement.
“Fifa regrets that no solution could be found…and there was no constructive effort to hand over the EFF headquarters in order to bring Ethiopian football back into the international football family.”
The ruling means that no Ethiopian team can take part in international football and Ethiopian match officials are barred from taking charge of matches overseas.
