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FIFA agreed to pay the players directly and now the fine the federation.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>FIFA fines Togo for World Cup strike threat</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>AFP
Saturday, August 26, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>ZURICH, Switzerland (AFP) - The Togolese football association has been fined 100,000 Swiss francs (US$80,000 dollars) for bringing the World Cup tournament into disrepute.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Togo's players threatened to go on strike before their World Cup match against Switzerland on June 19, over a bonus dispute with their federation.<P class=StoryText align=justify>FIFA issued a statement yesterday stating that the fine was due to the Togolese players' threat to boycott that match.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"The (disciplinary) commission has adjudged this affair to be particularly serious because since the arrival of the Togo federation in Germany at the end of May, its internal quarrels made the front pages of newspapers, behaviour not befitting a World Cup participant and which put the smooth running of the tournament at risk."<P class=StoryText align=justify>It also said that a resolution in the dispute between the Togolese federation and its players only came about after mediation from FIFA.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Togo's German coach Otto Pfister resigned over the dispute, claiming his position was untenable, but he reluctantly came back into the fold three days later after the players' bonus payments were made.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>FIFA fines Togo for World Cup strike threat</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>AFP
Saturday, August 26, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>ZURICH, Switzerland (AFP) - The Togolese football association has been fined 100,000 Swiss francs (US$80,000 dollars) for bringing the World Cup tournament into disrepute.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Togo's players threatened to go on strike before their World Cup match against Switzerland on June 19, over a bonus dispute with their federation.<P class=StoryText align=justify>FIFA issued a statement yesterday stating that the fine was due to the Togolese players' threat to boycott that match.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"The (disciplinary) commission has adjudged this affair to be particularly serious because since the arrival of the Togo federation in Germany at the end of May, its internal quarrels made the front pages of newspapers, behaviour not befitting a World Cup participant and which put the smooth running of the tournament at risk."<P class=StoryText align=justify>It also said that a resolution in the dispute between the Togolese federation and its players only came about after mediation from FIFA.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Togo's German coach Otto Pfister resigned over the dispute, claiming his position was untenable, but he reluctantly came back into the fold three days later after the players' bonus payments were made.