France FA cancels Cote D’Ivoire versus Mali friendly

25-May-2012 7:36:00 PM

The France Football Federation says organisers of the international friendly did not comply with new Fifa regulations and that the match will not go ahead due to security concerns

The international friendly match between Cote D’Ivoire and Mali that was slated for May 27 in Paris has been cancelled for security reasons, announced the France Football Federation (FFF) on Friday. The FFF said organisers failed to apply for authorisation within the deadlines set by Fifa.

“The application for authorisation with the host football federation for such meetings must be submitted two months earlier under the new Fifa regulations,” organiser Peter Inquel told L’Equipe moments after the decision.

“But for this meeting, the time was much shorter, nine days, mainly because of the political situation in Mali. The French Football Federation wanted to strictly enforce the regulation, while very few countries do,” he said.

Cote D’Ivoire and Mali, who clinched silver and bronze respectively at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, were to use the encounter as a build up to the upcoming 2014 World Cup qualifiers. Both team met last February in Libreville during the semifinal of the 2012 Afcon, with the Ivorians winning 1-0.

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