Football's governing body, Fifa, has effectively suspended Tanzania from international competition after the east African country's government refused to reinstate officials suspected of fraud.

In a letter Fifa told the Football Association of Tanzania (FAT) that the decision had been taken after an ultimatum that a new committee be appointed to oversee Tanzanian football expired on October 20.

The Fifa letter stated that "our emergency committee has decided to suspend the Football Association of Tanzania with immediate effect and until further notice".

But a Fifa representative in Nairobi said that Tanzania, in Kenya for a four nations tournament, would be allowed to play Ghana on Saturday in a third-place play-off.

Charged

The dispute began when former FAT chairman Muhiddin Ndolanga and secretary-general Ismail Aden Rage were suspended in July and charged by police with 13 counts of fraud and theft involving $52,500 from the association.

Their suspension was endorsed by delegates at a FAT meeting in the same month and new elections were held in early August despite a directive that they be delayed pending the arrival of a Fifa official.

The Fifa official recommended the formation of a six-member committee, which would include Ndolanga and Rage, to oversee national soccer affairs.

The Tanzanian government immediately rejected Fifa's proposal.

The suspension means the country will lose the right to vote at the Fifa and the Confederation of Africa Football Congress and cannot host or participate in any international matches.

Tanzania will also no longer have access to technical and financial assistance from Fifa.