Zambia’s women national football team is on the verge of missing out on playing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

This is after world football governing body, FIFA, threatened to suspend the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) following accusations of money laundering offences levelled against its president, Andrew Kamanga, as well as allegations of “undue influence by third parties”.

Kamanga who has be the FAZ president since 2016, was last week, arrested by the country’s Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) along with the Secretary-General, Reuben Kamanga and two other persons, over an alleged money laundering running into K341,902.

The arrested officials have already been charged by the DEC for allegedly obtaining government funds under false pretences and being part of a conspiracy to defraud.

The anti-graft agency alleged that Kamanga used the money to fund trips for two associates to the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast early this year.

Kamanga and Reuben were charged along with Madalitso Kamanga and Jairous Siame, who travelled to the tournament as part of FAZ’s support staff though are not working with FAZ.

Indications that the Zambian football association could face the hammer came via a letter by FIFA Member Associations Officer, Kenny Jean-Marie, addressed to FAZ that the world football’s governing body had “taken interest” in the arrests of the football officials.

In the letter, Jean-Marie requested for copies of any documents received in relation to the accusations and also directed FAZ to hold its scheduled AGM despite an injunction brought by a suspended club owner which accused Kamanga of changing the association’s constitution without following due procedure, being filed in Zambia’s high court to stop it taking place.

The letter also warned that failure to hold the AGM would provide possible grounds for suspension.

Part of the letter reads:

“The order of the High Court of Zambia dated 24 April, 2024, appears to clearly amount to undue influence by third parties which could be considered as a violation of Article 19 paragraph 1 of the Fifa Statutes and Article 7 paragraph 1.g. of the CAF Statutes.

“For the avoidance of doubt, please note that the infringement of the aforementioned provisions of the FIFA and CAF Statutes may give rise to grounds for the suspension of FAZ irrespective of whether the infringement was attributed to FAZ or not.

“We would like to remind you that a suspended member association may not exercise any of its membership rights.

“The representative teams as well as the affiliated clubs of this federation can no longer take part in international competitions until the suspension has been lifted. In view of the foregoing, FAZ is directed to conduct its Annual General Meeting.”

However, a ruling by a judge upheld the injunction on and scheduled another hearing for Thursday, meaning the AGM was not allowed to take place which has placed the participation of the women’s team in the forthcoming Olympics in jeopardy.

Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games kicking off in July, Kenya has unveiled a “killer-squad” for the marathon event.

The six-man team, which was unveiled by Athletics Kenya on Wednesday, is made up of three men and three women with one reserve each on either side, with defending champions, Eliud Kipchoge and Peres Jepchichir, as well as Hellen Obiri and Benson Kipruto leading the pack.

Others named in the final Kenyan Olympics team include London Marathon champion Alexander Mutiso and Tokyo Marathon winner Benson Kipruto while Timothy Kiplagat, who finished second in Tokyo, will be on standby incase any of the selected three cannot make it.

With the final team list, Jepchirchir will get a chance to defend her title as she heads to Paris in good form after winning the London Marathon in a new women’s-only world record last month.

Jepchirchir will be joined by Obiri who defended her Boston Marathon title last month, while Brigid Kosgei made the final three despite finishing fifth in London last month.

According to sports analysts, Kosgei’s experience seems to have convinced the panel of selectors given that she won silver behind Jepchirchir at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, edging ahead of Sharon Lokedi, who finished second in Boston.

Lokedi will therefore be on standby as the reserve in case any of Obiri, Jepchirchir and Kosgei fail to make it to Paris.