FIFA wants Kenya to act on stadium violence

Kenya faces a second international stadium ban following outbreaks of fan violence during the last World Cup qualifier against Mozambique in June, football officials said on Thursday.

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee is seeking action after home supporters threw plastic bottles on the pitch as they celebrated the national team’s 2-1 victory at the Kasarani stadium on June 20.

The world’s football governing body has already banned the favoured Nyayo National stadium from staging qualifiers after Kenya failed to implement safety recommendations.

FIFA also imposed a restricted attendance to 60 percent of the 60,000-capacity at the Kasarani stadium during the match against Mozambique in a bid to maintain the safety of the fans.

“These incidents appear to be a violation of the FIFA regulations and consequently, we open disciplinary proceedings against the Football Kenya Limited,” the FIFA Disciplinary committee deputy secretary Christine Farina said in a letter to the FKL secretary Sammy Obingo and obtained by AFP.

“We would like to ask you to send us your statement and all the evidence that you may consider relevant to the mentioned incidents by July 24 2009, at the latest.”

Kenya’s next home match is against Nigeria on November 14 but will play Mozambique in the return tie away on September 6 in Maputo.