By Seraj Essul
Tripoli, 15 April 2013:
FIFA, the International Federation of Football Association, has not yet decided whether Libya still host international matches.
Despite . . .[restrict]strong rumours that a ban on holding international games here, imposed after the revolution, was about to be lifted, FIFA has not yet informed Anwar Al-Tashani, the president of the Libyan football federation, whether this will change.
“FIFA haven’t lifted the ban yet,” a disappointed Tashani told the Libya Herald, but declined to make any further comment. Sources close to the Libyan Federation suggest that one reason FIFA may be continuing the block on international matches, is that there is still no new international stadium in Tripoli.
Libya’s next international match, a World Cup qualifier on 7 July against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is supposed to be played in Libya, if FIFA lift the ban.
It is not yet known where it will now be rescheduled. In the past the Libya national football team has had to travel to Egypt, Tunisia or Morocco to play international matches that would normally have been hosted in Libya.
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