Australia coach Frank Farina has described FIFA’s decision to allow Solomon Islands striker Commins Menapi to play in Saturday’s Confederations Cup first leg qualifier as a joke.
Menapi received two bookings in the combined Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Nations Cup and World Cup qualifying tournament in Adelaide in June.
“They (Solomon Islands) are saying he (Menapi) has been cleared but it’s an absolute joke. It’s all very clouded over,” Farina said.
“They are saying they have approval for him to play. How can that possibly be the case when this is basically the final of that Adelaide tournament? Two yellow (cards) and you are normally suspended.
“We would like to see in writing that FIFA have approved that he can play. We don’t seem to have that.
“So that is something that if they do allow him to play, maybe they (Solomon Islands) will get in trouble for it later on.”
Australia meet the Solomon Islands in a two-legged play-off, the winner qualifying for next year’s Confederations Cup.
