West Ham fine £71,000 by FIFA over Diafra Sakho Withdrew from Senegal Squad

West Ham United have been fined and reprimanded by FIFA after they played Diafara Sakho in an FA Cup win, he withdrew from Senegal's Africa Cup of Nations squad.

Source Google Image: Sakho

Sakho scored the only goal and secure them a 1-0 victory at Ashto Gate but the World football governing body (FIFA) opened an investigation to see if they had breached rules over international duty.

The Hammers denied any wrong doing but could have faced expulsion from the FA Cup if they were found guilty.

FIFA rules say a player cannnot appear for a club if he was meant to be on international duty and they released a statement on Wednesday confirming the fine.

It stated and i quote: ' The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has found the club and player to have violated art. 5 of Annexe 1 of the Regulations in relation to the match played by Sakho on 25 January 2015. The club has been fined CHF 100,000 in accordance with art. 10 c) and art. 15 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) and issued with a reprimand, while the player has been sanctioned with reprimand in accordance with art. 10 b) and art. 14 of the FDC.

West Ham insisted the player had a back injury that prevented him from flying and claim he was driven to Ashton Gate in limousine for the FA Cup tie. They requested FIFA dismiss the case.

Bristol City have now release a statement over the £71,000 FIFA fine to the Hammers for including Shkho in the match.

The League one club feels disappointed, and they have this to say about the lenient fine to West Ham. The statement on their website state's: "Bristol City FC notes FIFA's decision with regards to the Disciplinary Committee's case against West Ham United and their player Diafra Sakho.

"The club is disappointed with the penalty handed down by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and is considering its options. " The club will be marking no further comment at this time."

The reports also said that, the Hammers (West Ham) has also issued a brief statement following FIFA's decision.
'The club and the player have received the decision and will now be focusing their concentration on the game against Manchester United on Sunday,' it read.