Fifa lifts Madagascar ban

Madagascar are now free to play at Botswana on 31 May

Fifa on Monday lifted Madagascar's suspension from international football after the Indian Ocean island's supreme court annuled the government's dissolution of the country's federation.

Fifa suspended the Malagasy Football Association in March after the same court rejected the appeal against a ministerial order to disband the federation.

"The Fifa Emergency Committee has noted with satisfaction the decision by the Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court of Madagascar to annul the ministerial decree of March 19," the statement said.

"The Fifa Emergency Committee has decided to lift the suspension of the Madagascan Football Association as of today, Tuesday, May 19, 2008," it added.

Malagasy Sports Minister Patrick Ramiaramana in March sacked the entire federation after violence in an Antananarivo stadium forced the cancellation of an African Champions League fixture.

He had blamed the violence on the federation and promised polls to find a new board for the sport, in a move that had been seen as political intervention.

Madagascar are now free to play at Botswana on 31 May - the opening game in their first group stage of qualifying for the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

Madagascar will also face the Ivory Coast and Mozambique in African Group 7.