SOUTH AFRICA will face FIFA disciplinary proceedings for fielding a suspended player during a World Cup qualifier in March, potentially resulting in a points deduction that threatens their qualification chances.
FIFA informed the South African Football Association this week about opening proceedings regarding midfielder Teboho Mokoena’s participation in their 2-0 victory over Lesotho.
Mokoena should have served an automatic one-match suspension after collecting two cautions in previous qualifiers but was fielded regardless.
South Africa acknowledged their administrative error, though FIFA’s delayed response created months of speculation that they had escaped punishment.
Other nations competing in South Africa’s qualification group criticised FIFA’s slow resolution of the matter.
According to FIFA’s disciplinary code, fielding an ineligible player results in automatic match forfeiture with a 3-0 default loss unless the actual score was worse for the offending team.
A three-point deduction would leave South Africa level with Benin at 14 points atop Group C with two matches remaining, while Nigeria and Rwanda sit just three points behind.
Only group winners automatically qualify for next June’s North American finals, with South Africa facing Zimbabwe away and Rwanda at home next month.
This incident follows previous African World Cup qualification cases where teams faced points deductions for fielding ineligible players.
Nigeria received a 3-0 default loss against Algeria in 2018 qualifiers for fielding Shehu Abdullahi while suspended, though they still qualified for Russia.
Cape Verde Islands lost their playoff spot ahead of the 2014 Brazil finals after using suspended Fernando Varela against Tunisia, who advanced instead. – Reuters
