The legal ruling will aid Charles Westerfall's faction

The Fifa-ordered elections at the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) have been called off following legal action taken by the government-run Sports Commission.

Representatives from football's world governing body Fifa and the Confederation of African Football were already in Harare to oversee the elections when they were postponed at short notice on Friday night.

And should Fifa interpret the action as government interference, Zimbabwe could face a possible ban from international competition.

Zifa is currenlty divided into two factions, with one headed by Vincent Pamire - who has the recognition of Fifa and Caf - and the other by Charles Westerfall.

Westerfall's leadership is backed by sports minister Aeneas Chigwedere and the Sports Commission.

It was the Sports Commission who obtained a high court interdict late on Friday evening to stop Saturday's elections from going ahead.

Amended constitution

The Sports Commission has yet to register an amended Zifa constitution and thus insists that Zifa is operating illegally as a result.

"We say that Zifa must comply with the law," said Sports Commission chairman Anthony Mandiwanza.

"But we have no intention whatsoever of interfering with the day-to-day administration of football."

The high court ruling has also instructed that Pamire and his executive should not carry out any further Zifa business.

At Sunday's World Cup qualifier between Zimbabwe and Mauritania in Harare, Charles Westerfall was operating as Zifa chairman while Pamire did not attend the match.

"This is the only country where people are fighting when they should be celebrating," Pamire told the BBC Sport website.

"This is a serious set-back to the sport - you can't afford to defy Fifa."

Zimbabwe, who won the regional Cosafa Cup last week, are set to make their first-ever appearance at the Nations Cup finals in Tunisia next year.