2022 World Cup: disqualification of Kenya in the playoffs?

Kenyan Victor Wanyama during CAN 2019. JAVIER SORIANO / AFP

Text by: David Kalfa Follow

Kenya risks being disqualified in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, even before having faced its future opponents in Group E: Mali, Uganda and Rwanda. His team will be ejected from the qualifications if the Kenyan Federation does not pay a million dollars to the former coach Adel Amrouche.

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While the sports planet is stopped because of the coronavirus, Kenyan football could still experience a fatal defeat, this April 24, 2020, in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. By this date at the latest, the Kenyan Federation (FKF) must indeed pay a million dollars to the former coach of the "Harambee Stars", Adel Amrouche, stationed in 2003-2004.

The Algerian won his legal arm wrestling against the FKF, last October, before the Arbitral Tribunal for Sport (CAS). The latter estimated that the current coach of Botswana had been the victim of an unfair dismissal, in August 2014. The CAS therefore ordered the Kenyans to pay the 3 and a half years of unpaid wages.

" It's not the end of the world "

Faced with this situation, the Kenyan Federation requested an additional delay from the International Federation (FIFA). FIFA however recalled that only Adel Amrouche could give the FKF a break. What the technician refused to do.

"  It is not the end of the world to be excluded from qualifying for the 2022 World Cup , tried to put into perspective the president of the FKF, Nick Mwendwa, at the microphone of our colleagues from the BBC. We don't have the money and with the Covid-19 pandemic, our players are stuck and have not been paid. Our government has turned a deaf ear to our call, which is understandable because there is a crisis  . ”

The star Wanyama still wants to believe it

Despite the desperate situation, the captain and star player of the Kenyan team, Victor Wanyama, wants to believe in a miracle. "  I urge the FKF to find a solution to resolve this problem so that we can continue to dream of playing on the world stage  ," he reacted to the BBC microphone.

The “Harambee Stars” appear in group E of the playoffs with Mali, Uganda and Rwanda. Only the highest ranked will compete in the last round. "  I think we have a chance if we compete for qualifications,  " said Victor Wanyama.

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  • Soccer
  • Kenya
  • Coronavirus
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  • 2022 world cup