Fifa bans Cameroon shirts

Cameroon's shirts were head-turners at the Nations Cup

Fifa has given Cameroon's figure hugging sleeveless shirts a red card for the World Cup finals.

Fifa spokesman Keith Cooper said the tops were given the thumbs down because "they're not shirts...they're vests".

Cameroon wore the shirts in all their matches to win the African Nations Cup in Mali.

You can always expect something different from Cameroon, not only in terms of their shirts

Fifa's Keith Cooper

Sponsors of the African champions have had to come up with an alternative design for the World Cup in Korea and Japan.

Fifa said the new design had been approved.

Cooper would not reveal anything on the latest design, saying the sponsors had to do that.

But Cooper added: "You can always expect something different from Cameroon, not only in terms of their shirts."

Reaction to Cameroon's shirts during the Nations Cup was mixed.

Some people did not like them and complained that the team looked more like the American basketball team Harlem Globetrotters.

Hegaud Ouattara of Ivorian newspaper Stade d'Afrique said the shirts showed a lack of respect for fans and opponents while others raved about them.