World Football

Senegal face possible World Cup sanction over Dia

17:58 BST, Thu 22 May 2008
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Senegalese supporters cheer their team before their African Nations Cup Group C soccer match against Angola in Tamale January 27, 2008. REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly (GHANA)

JOHANNESBURG, May 22 (Reuters) - Senegal could face possible sanction if they go ahead with the selection of French under-21 international Issiar Dia in their team for next weekend's World Cup qualifier at home to Algeria.

French-born Dia, who played for France's under-21 team in European Championship qualifiers last year, was named on Wednesday in Senegal's squad for the match in Dakar on May 31.

World body FIFA, however, said on Thursday it had received no application for a change in the Nancy forward's nationality status.

"No such application or any form of documentation has been received as of yet. Therefore, we cannot comment further on these case for the time being," a FIFA spokesman told Reuters.

FIFA statues allow players with dual nationality to change their international status as long as they have won no senior caps and are under the age of 21.

Dia, who turns 21 on June 8, fulfils both criteria but must first seek FIFA's permission before being allowed to play for Senegal, his parents' homeland.

World Cup rules state that teams found guilty of fielding ineligible players face a loss of points and other possible sanctions.

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