Togo association to face discipline

BERLIN — The pay dispute that overshadowed Togo's debut in the World Cup will land the national federation in trouble with FIFA's disciplinary committee.

"We cannot tolerate a situation where a team participating in the World Cup creates such a kerfuffle," FIFA president Sepp Blatter told a news conference Friday. "The Togo federation will be hearing from the disciplinary committee."

Soccer's world governing body intervened to head off a boycott when players refused to travel on the eve of Togo's second Group G match against Switzerland. FIFA brokered a deal to pay bonuses to players directly out of an advance for the Togolese federation.

That came after Otto Pfister quit as coach for several days before returning just in time for Togo's opening match, a 2-1 loss to South Korea.

Blatter's comments came hours before the African team played its last match of Germany 2006 against France.

He described Togo's appearance as "disruptive to the positive atmosphere."

Blatter did not say what kind of sanctions the Togo association or players would face, or when the disciplinary investigation would begin.

The Togo association also could face lawsuit from Pfister. When he returned, Pfister was denounced by Togolese federation secretary-general Komlan Assogbavi as a traitor and a drunkard. Pfister says he does not drink alcohol and is considering defamation action.

With the next World Cup in South Africa in 2010, Blatter conceded that the management of the sport across Africa needs to be improved.

"Yes, there's a problem," he said. "It's part of a project" for improvement.

The overhaul will start with one of the continent's highest-ranking officials losing his job on FIFA's executive committee in the wake of a ticket-scalping scandal.

Ismail Bhamjee was sent home in disgrace last week after admitting to selling 12 tickets to one of England's Group B matches for three times face value. Blatter reiterated that FIFA could not directly fire Bhamjee from the executive committee because the 62-year-old businessman from Botswana was appointed by African delegates.

Bhamjee's payment for being on the FIFA executive would be stopped and he could lose his FIFA pension, Blatter said.

"He will not be any longer on the executive committee," Blatter said.

The early exit of the United States was a disappointment, Blatter said. It also highlighted deficiencies in the FIFA ranking system.

The United States was ranked fifth coming into the World Cup and the Czech Republic was ranked second. Both failed to advance from Group E, which saw Italy and Ghana move on.

The ranking system will be changed after the World Cup so it is based on results over four years instead of eight.

"The FIFA rankings will be modified ... to make a robust statement of what happens over four years," he said. "In a World Cup, things evolve over four weeks. It's not necessarily the best team in the world that becomes the world champion — it's the best team of the tournament."