2022 World Cup Qualifiers: Fifa dismisses Safa's appeal against controversial Ghana penalty

Fifa has reportedly dismissed the South African Football Association's protest against a controversial penalty handed to Ghana during a World Cup qualifier on November 14 in Cape Coast. 

Safa moved to seek Fifa's intervention when they were defeated 1-0 by Black Stars in a qualifier they just needed a draw in order to book their place in the next round of qualification.  

Senegalese referee Maguette Ndiaye gave the West African nation a penalty - which was converted by Andre Ayew - and ended Bafana Bafana's dream of going to Qatar in 2022 for the global competition.

"The protest lodged by South Africa has been declared inadmissible by the disciplinary committee as it did not meet the requirements foreseen under article 46 of the Fifa disciplinary code and article 14 of the regulations of the preliminary competition of the Fifa World Cup 2022," Sunday World reported on Friday. 

Shortly after the news broke, Safa released a short statement on their official website, indicating they may appeal the decision:

The South African Football Association (SAFA) will consider its options after the world football governing body (FIFA) dismissed its protest following Bafana Bafana’s controversial 1-0 loss to the Black Stars of Ghana last month.

SAFA CEO, Advocate Tebogo Monthlante said once SAFA gets reasons for the outcome, will sit down and weigh its options.

“We have received the decision without details and we will request FIFA for the reasons and consider our options.”

The Ghana Football Association released the full decison from Fifa's Disciplinary Committee which you can read here.

The decision, signed by Carlos Sneider, Director of the FIFA judicial Bodies, indicated the protest lodged by Safa was 'inadmissible' as it did not meet the basic requirements for filling protests.

However, Safa's CEO Motlanthe stated earlier in the week they were ready to move to the Court Arbitration for Sports (CAS) should Safa feel unsatisfied by the outcome of their appeal.

"There are a lot of things they are dealing with. If they don’t give you a good reason, you can still go and challenge the matter with CAS. So they'd rather do their work and we give them the space," he said.

"There has been a lot of information that is coming from Ghana itself about a lot of things, so they are giving us information."