FIFA takes swipe at Polish government over FA move

ZURICH, Jan 22 (Reuters) Polish soccer faces action from the game's ruling bodies after the government's decision to suspend the board of the national association and appoint a commissioner in its place, FIFA and UEFA said today.

Prompted by a match-fixing investigation, Polish Sports Minister Tomasz Lipiec made the appointment on Friday -- a move guaranteed to raise hackles at FIFA, who resent any involvement by governments in footballing matters.

The response was not long in coming, with FIFA issuing a statement on Monday saying the world body and its European ounterpart UEFA were ''surprised'' by Lipiec's move and did not recognise the appointment of commissioner Andrzej Rusko.

''In the coming days and weeks, FIFA and UEFA will determine what action to take in response to the Polish government's interference, which contravenes article 17 of the FIFA Statutes,'' they said.

Rusko's appointment had also been made ''in spite of several warnings from FIFA and UEFA''.

They added it ''not only violates the principle of autonomy that applies throughout the sports movement but also undermines the steps taken by Polish government authorities through working group activities in conjunction with FIFA and UEFA to find solutions that are beneficial to...Polish football.'' FIFA have in the past suspended countries whose governments interfere in football. Poland could potentially be at risk of a suspension from their qualifying campaign for Euro 2008.

REUTERS SAM RK1905