FIFA Lifts Zimbabwe Ban

Culture Minister Kirsty Coventry: Football's global governing body FIFA has lifted a ban on Zimbabwe from participating in world tournaments, the country's Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Kirsty Coventry said.

Coventry described the end of the 18-month suspension as "exciting" and "incredible" at a press conference in Harare, reports Xinhua.

FIFA lifted the ban on Monday, only two days before the draw for the African qualifiers for the next World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.

The ban was imposed more than a year ago after what FIFA viewed as government interference in the administration of the sport, state news agency New Ziana reported.

The ban followed a government-sanctioned dissolution of an elected national football body, the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA), an affiliate of FIFA.

A four-member team has been appointed to run the affairs of ZIFA in the interim.