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FIFA, Poland face-off ahead of suspension deadline
Published on Sun, Oct 05, 2008 at 20:27, Updated on Sun, Oct 05, 2008 at 20:36 in 
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Warsaw/Brussels: A stand-off continued on Sunday between FIFA and the Polish government ahead of a deadline to reinstate the country's FA or risk suspension from all football competitions and lose the right to co-host Euro 2012.
The world governing body and its European confederation UEFA -- whose rules do not allow government interference -- gave Poland until 1000 GMT on Monday to reverse its decision to replace the football association with an administrator last week.
"There is a battle of wits and a war of nerves between Poland and FIFA," Polish Interior Minister Grzegorz Schetyna told news channel TVN24 on Sunday.
"Ultimatums and pressure are not advisable. I think FIFA is using scare tactics."
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told the weekend edition of daily Fakt: "The Polish government will not succumb to any blackmail, even if on the part of a big international organisation... I will complete the clean-up of Polish football of the corruption and all the dirt it has become mired in."
Poland's arbitration tribunal suspended the PZPN (FA) board and named an administrator last Monday after Sports Minister Miroslaw Drzewiecki filed a motion saying it had violated the law in a number of cases.
FIFA said Warsaw must reinstate the FA or risk being suspended from this month's two World Cup qualifying matches.
UEFA warned any suspension could lead to Poland being stripped of the right to co-host Euro 2012 alongside Ukraine.
Deadline stands
Both FIFA and UEFA reiterated their warnings on Sunday.
"Nothing has changed, the deadline stands," a FIFA spokesman said.
William Gaillard, special advisor to UEFA president Michel Platini, said his organisation "is fully behind FIFA".
"This is about the fundamental principles of our sport. We cannot allow sports administrators to be replaced the following day by politicians at the whim of a government," Gaillard said.
"FIFA are taking the lead in this. But we will react very quickly to any fallout which may have consequences for us, notably Euro 2012."
Gaillard said on Friday that if the FA are not in place or suspended then under UEFA rules Poland would not be in a position to host the tournament.
Poland are scheduled to play Czech Republic on October 11 and Slovakia four days later in European qualifying Group Three which the team lead with four points from two games.
Failure to meet Monday's deadline could force them to forfeit the matches and their opponents awarded 3-0 victories.
"Do we want normality or a draw with Slovakia? The whole government backs this move. Polish football is not a dozen gentlemen who feel good about themselves that they've got the right connections in Switzerland or France," Schetyna said.
"We want to clean out the swamp that is the PZPN and play good games against the Slovaks and Czechs. But FIFA want to show their domination over national laws."
Corruption accusations have often been raised against the PZPN and its head, Michal Listkiewicz, but a succession of sports ministers, including Drzewiecki, have failed to oust him.
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