Tajikistan seeks FIFA probe of Syrian player’s eligibility

DUSHANBE – The Tajik Football Federation (TFF) has written to FIFA requesting an investigation of a Syrian football player’s eligibility.

Syria defeated Tajikistan two weeks ago for a third-round slot in qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup. One Syrian player is George Murad, who played for Sweden in 2005.

Tajikistan is not protesting but is instead seeking an explanation of whether Syria observed all the rules concerning Murad’s eligibility, TFF Secretary-General Sherali Davliatov told Central Asia Online.

If FIFA rules against Syria, Tajikistan could replace it in the third-round qualifiers, which would mean sharing Group C with Uzbekistan, Japan and North Korea.