FIFA rules South Africa’s appeal inadmissible

FIFA has ruled as inadmissible, an appeal from South Africa relating to a decisive 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Ghana.

South Africa claimed that they were “robbed” after their 1-0 defeat last month, with the only goal in the match scored from a first-half penalty.

The South Africa Football Association (SAFA) included allegations of “match fixing, match manipulation including corruption and bribery” when it lodged a complaint with football’s world governing body.

South Africa had needed a draw to reach Africa’s World Cup play-offs, but the result meant that Ghana progressed at their expense on goals scored.

An appeal by Benin about substitutions made by the Democratic Republic of Congo in another crunch qualifier on the same day has also been thrown out.

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee declared both protests inadmissible as they did not meet relevant requirements, but also added that the decisions were subject to appeal.

It means, as it stands, that Ghana and Democratic Republic of Congo will be in January’s draw for the African FIFA World Cup play-offs, with two-legged ties to decide the continent’s five representatives in Qatar set to be played in March.

The appeal was about the fact that DR Congo made a total of four substitutions across four windows during the match.