Togo official - Team was fake

Togo: Fury over friendly

Togo football federation chairman Seiyi Memene has branded the national team that lost to Bahrain 3-0 in a friendly match as "completely fake".

Doubts came about over the legitimacy of the team in Bahrain after a member of the Bahrain Football Assocation told local media that the game had been arranged and "sold" to them by a "fake agent".

Fifa refused to comment on the situation due to them not sanctioning the match, which does allow national teams to arrange friendly matches at their discretion.

The official in question stated that the agent who arranged the match was not licensed, and it is reported that the Togolese could have been represented by players who were not international footballers or simply just nationals.

According to Memene, the federation did not know the players who represented the nation in Bahrain's National Stadium, and has called for the matter to be investigated.

"We cannot send our players to play friendly matches abroad without the approval of Fifa," Memene said.

Not known

"The players that took part in the friendly match against Bahrain were completely fake.

"We have not sent any team of footballers to Bahrain. The players are not known to us."

Nabine Gnonh, chief of staff at Togo's sports ministry, said both the ministry and the football federation have now opened an investigation into the match.

"We don't have precise information at this point," Gnonh said.

"We haven't received the list of the players who played this match and we still have to check if they were members of the national team."