Fifa has handed out punishments<\/i>\u00a0to eight African nations for various offences committed during September’s 2018 World Cup qualifiers.<\/p>\n
Gabon fielded an ineligible player – Merlin Tandjigora, who should have been suspended – in the\u00a03-0 home defeat by Ivory Coast\u00a0on 2 September.<\/p>\n
The Panthers effectively escape with a fine as the main sanction for the error is to forfeit the match 3-0.<\/p>\n
Several teams suffered similar sanctions in 2014 World Cup qualifying.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the\u00a0Nigeria\u00a0Football Federation has been fined just over US$30,000 and issued with a warning after fans invaded the pitch when\u00a0they beat Cameroon 4-0\u00a0on 1 September.<\/p>\n
DR Congo\u00a0were also given a warning and also handed a major fine, forced to pay Fifa around US$20,000, for incidents during their match against Tunisia on 5 September.<\/p>\n
Fifa ruled that there had been “improper conduct among spectators – throwing objects [bottles] and letting off incendiary devices” at the match, which ended 2-2, in Kinshasa.<\/p>\n
The Congolese federation was also sanctioned for failing to fly national flags at the stadium and for not displaying a mandatory “central advertising board”.<\/p>\n
There was a US$15,000 fine and a warning for\u00a0Mali\u00a0after their home match against Morocco also suffered from “improper conduct among spectators – throwing objects [bottles and chairs]”.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere,\u00a0Zambia\u00a0must pay US$7,000 after their fans threw objects when they played Algeria in Lusaka.<\/p>\n
Morocco’s\u00a0punishment of US$3,000 and a warning was given after spectators whistled during the national anthem ahead of their match against Mali in Rabat.<\/p>\n
Both\u00a0Burkina Faso\u00a0and\u00a0Senegal\u00a0were issued warnings for delayed kick-offs in their matches against each other on 2 and 5 September respectively.<\/p>\n
And\u00a0South Africa’s Erick Mulomowandau Mathoho\u00a0had his suspension for a straight red card against Cape Verde increased from one match to two and also fined US$5,000.<\/p>\n
He was dismissed in Praia for kicking out at an opponent after the ball had already gone into touch and missed the return match a few days later through suspension.<\/p>\n
The increased ban means Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter had to drop him from his squad to face visiting Burkina Faso on Saturday.<\/p>\n
He has been replaced by Cape Town City captain Robyn Johannes, who has earned his first call-up since 2008.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fifa has handed out punishments\u00a0to eight African nations for various offences committed during September’s 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Gabon fielded an ineligible player – Merlin Tandjigora, who should have been suspended – in the\u00a03-0 home defeat by Ivory Coast\u00a0on 2 September. The Panthers effectively escape with a fine as the main sanction for the error […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":213452,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[142],"tags":[336,337,3,338],"yoast_head":"\n