Spanish Federation defy government over date for election

MADRID (Reuters) - The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) voted to defy the government at their general assembly on Monday, by rejecting demands for a presidential election to be held before the end of March.

FIFA have threatened to bar Spain from Euro 2008 if the government interferes in the RFEF's election process.

"There are going to elections. The RFEF, the president and the board want to abide by the current laws but not by the way they have been interpreted so for this reason we have rejected the government directive," RFEF president Angel Maria Villar said.

The assembly agreed a new election would be held before Nov.26, four years on from the last one.

The Spanish government, through the Sports Council (CSD), have demanded that all sporting federations not involved in the Olympics to hold elections in the first quarter of 2008 -- before August's Beijing Games.

Last Friday, a Spanish court rejected an appeal from the RFEF to be allowed to delay their election.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter backed the RFEF last month and warned Spain they would be barred from international competitions if the government pressured the Federation into an early election.

"If the Spanish government continue to interfere in footballing affairs they will have to recognise that their clubs and national team will be excluded from international tournaments," Blatter told Spanish media in a briefing.

"It would be tough, but it would only take six hours to call a FIFA emergency meeting to hear and decide upon Spain's exclusion.