FIFA threat to suspend Switzerland over Sion case

FIFA threatened to suspend Switzerland from world football on Saturday if its national association does not discipline litigious club FC Sion within one month.If the suspension takes effect, Swiss champion FC Basel would be prevented from playing Bayern Munich in the Champions League round of 16. The first leg is scheduled for Feb. 22 in Basel.Basel scored Swiss footballs proudest achievement in recent years to advance from its Champions League group ahead of Manchester United, which would logically be reinstated by organizer UEFA.I am confident that we will play Bayern Munich but I take (the threat) very seriously, Basel vice president Bernhard Heusler told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.Switzerlands Football Association has a further incentive to meet FIFAs demand it is scheduled to host Lionel Messi and Argentina in a Feb. 29 friendly in Bern.Swiss football leaders, including Heusler, met Saturday to consider the FIFA ultimatum forcing them to forfeit most of Sions results this season by a Jan. 13 deadline.We are disappointed. But, in any case, we will do everything necessary to resolve the situation, Swiss FA President Peter Gillieron told reporters at a news conference.Swiss officials will seek a meeting with FIFA lawyers in Zurich next week to clarify what footballs world governing requires from them.Sion has breached footballs rules in a legal saga that began in 2009 when FIFA imposed a one-year transfer ban for breaking transfer regulations in the signing of goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary.