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Updated at 6:25 a.m., Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Soccer: Ethiopia exiled as FIFA peace talks collapse

Associated Press

ZURICH, Switzerland — Ethiopia remained under suspension from world football Tuesday after peace talks at FIFA headquarters collapsed.

Ethiopia's national federation (EFF) is being fought over by two rival groups in a dispute that saw the country suspended in July and later kicked out of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

FIFA said in a statement that representatives of a faction led by Ahmed Yassin could not accept that Ashebir Woldegiorgis was rightfully elected to lead the national federation in January.

The world football governing body has strict rules that protect elected football officials from outside interference. The ban means national teams, officials and referees cannot take part in international football.

FIFA said talks Tuesday led by its secretary general Jerome Valcke failed to win support for a peace plan the African football confederation agreed to in February.

"FIFA regrets that no solution could be found at this meeting and that there was no constructive effort to hand over the EFF headquarters," it said.