PARIS - Fifa and Uefa issued a joint warning to Poland yesterday after refusing to recognise the country's new government-appointed football commissioner.

PARIS - Fifa and Uefa issued a joint warning to Poland yesterday after refusing to recognise the country's new government-appointed football commissioner.

Polish minister of sport Tomasz Lipiec appointed a commissioner to head the Polish Football Association (PZPN) in a move that violated Fifa statutes against government interference in national football association matters.

"In spite of several warnings from Fifa and Uefa, the Polish minister of sport suspended the PZPN's board of administration, including president Michal Listkiewicz, on 19 January and appointed the president of the Polish football league, Andrzej Rusko, as the new commissioner of the association in line with article 23 of national sports law, a provision that Fifa and Uefa have been contesting since 2005," said a joint Fifa and Uefa statement.

"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."

Poland has been embroiled in a corruption scandal in its footballing ranks over the last few months.

Fifa and Uefa had supported the PZPN's proposed new elections but on Friday, Lipiec suspended the PZPN's management after accusing them of inaction in the face of the scandal.

The sports minister put an administrator in charge of the federation until new management elections could be held. - Sapa-AFP