FIFA appoints committee to take over Guinean federation

ZURICH (AP) - FIFA will appoint a normalization committee to take control of the Guinean soccer federation after what it called "internal wrangles" brought all competitions in the West African nation to a halt.

The committee will be made up of between five and seven members and will be appointed jointly by the world governing body and the Confederation of African Football, FIFA said Friday in a statement.

A FIFA-CAF delegation visited the country this week. The new committee will replace the current leadership and run the federation's day-to-day affairs. It will need to organize new elections by the end of next February.

The problems at the federation come as Guinea struggles to qualify for next year's African Cup of Nations. Guinea is third in its group behind Zimbabwe and Swaziland.

Guinea also is due to host the 2023 African Cup, a decision that was made by CAF in 2014 without a formal bidding process.

This month, FIFA warned another African nation, Nigeria, that it could be banned from international soccer if it didn't sort out a dispute involving the leadership of its federation.