No danger to Spain's participation in 2018 World Cup

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Madrid, February 6: There seems to be no imminent danger surrounding Spain's participation in the 2018 World Cup after FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura held talks with Spanish government officials.

It may be recalled that in December, 2017, FIFA had threatened Spain with a potential ban over political interference within the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

In the meeting held in Madrid, Fatma met Spanish sports minister Inigo Mendez de Vigo Spanish Sports Council (CSD) president Jose Ramon Lete and interim RFEF chief Juan Luis Larrea.

The meeting agreed on the "need to clarify as quickly as possible" to avoid a potential World Cup ban for Spain, who won the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa.

"The two delegations agreed on the need to clarify as quickly as possible and by legal means the exceptional situation of the RFEF," read a statement from the ministry of education, culture and sports, adding that talks were held in "a climate of full collaboration".

Larrea, another long-time football administrator, said the decks would be cleared for Spain's participation at this year's World Cup.

The issue started after long-time RFEF President Angel Maria Villar was forced to resign last year from the post he had occupied since 1988 following his arrest as part of a corruption investigation.

He was detained in July on allegations of collusion, embezzlement and falsifying documents and spent two weeks in custody before being released on bail.

However, the CSD insistence that new elections be called for the presidency of the football federation attracted FIFA's interest for political interference.

There have many instances of countries being banned by FIFA for political intereference.

The last of those came in 2015 when Indonesia were banned from competing in the World Cup qualifiers after FIFA said the central government had taken over its federation's affairs.

Spain, who are currently sixth in FIFA rankings, are grouped along with Portugal, Morocco and Iran in Group B of the Russia World Cup which will be held from June 14 to July 15.

(With Agency inputs).