Fifa have 'no respect' - Kanoute

Mali released Diarra and Kanoute after pressure from Real Madrid

Mali striker Frederic Kanoute has joined international team-mate Mahmadou Diarra in condemning Fifa's decision that he should be ordered to play for his Spanish club side Sevilla rather than the national team this weekend.

Kanoute said Fifa had showed "a lack of respect" towards both himself and the Malian side.

"I'm upset for my country because Fifa is showing no respect for African national sides. We are not important for them."

On Friday midfielder Diarra described the decision to order him to return to Spain to play for Real Madrid as "scandalous".

Spanish media reported that the Fifa decision came as a result of pressure from Real Madrid, who wanted Diarra to play in their title decider against Real Mallorca.

Difficult position

Both Diarra and Kanoute had been in Bamako preparing for Sunday's Nations Cup qualifier against Sierra Leone.

But Fifa ruled that this weekend's Nations Cup qualifiers were not provided for in the internationally-agreed calendar.

Fifa has been defending federations regardless of their size, continent or ranking Jerome Champagne, Fifa representative

"I understand what Real Madrid did, and they're entitled to protect their interests - but Fifa's behaviour is scandalous," Diarra told French sports newspaper L'equipe.

"They've shown a lack of respect for African football and Africa in general.

"I've seen the fax they sent to the Federation yesterday and I don't understand their justification.

"National teams are supposed to take precedence over clubs but it seems Fifa has changed its rules a mere 72 hours before a match.

"What's more, Kanoute and I are now in a difficult position because people back home think that it's us who've found a way to avoid playing for our country."

Fifa, however, has categorically rejected any notion of prejudice against Africa.

Jerome Champagne, delegate of the Fifa president told BBC Sport: "If there's one thing Fifa are not, it's prejudiced against anybody.

"Fifa has been defending federations regardless of their size, continent or ranking.

"But sometimes we have to intervene when we consider that common sense should be in favour of the clubs.

"We are the people who are bringing the World Cup to Africa and we run all sorts of projects to benefit the continent, including ones in Bamako."

Even though the Nations Cup fixtures were not produced in time for the creation of the international coordinated calendar, Fifa refused to blame Caf.

"We don't blame anybody for the problems Mali are facing," Champagne said.

"But the fact is that this round of African fixtures arrived late.

"It's not true that the executive committee did approve them but because they were late.

"They were not as compulsory as ones that were approved before last November."