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By Martin Petty
BANGKOK, Sept 12 (Reuters) - A verdict on whether FIFA was wrong not to sanction Qatar for fielding an ineligible player in a World Cup qualifier could take several weeks, according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
On Wednesday, CAS heard the case brought by Asian champions Iraq, who complained Qatar's illegal fielding of Brazilian-born Emerson had robbed them of a place in the last round of 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
"There was no request by the parties involved for an urgent release of the court's findings," CAS Secretary-General Matthieu Reeb told Reuters by telephone.
"It will be deferred until all parties are notified, which could take a few weeks."
FIFA suspended Emerson after discovering he had represented Brazil at youth level under his former name, Marcio Passos De Albuquerque.
However, it cleared Qatar of wrongdoing, despite competition rules stating any team "found guilty of fielding an ineligible player shall forfeit the match in question."
Emerson had a previous brush with authorities in 2006 for falsifying his age on his birth certificate.
He played for Qatar in their victory over Iraq, a defeat which effectively ended the war-torn country's hopes of reaching their first World Cup in 24 years.
Qatar are currently top of their group in World Cup qualifying after a win and a draw in their first two final-round matches.
