The suspension means that Greece, the reigning European champions, will be suspended from all international football until further notice.

A FIFA press release said that the decision had been taken by its Emergency Committee composed of five presidents and one representative of each of the six world confederations.

The Greece Football Federation had been suspended are they were "not in line with the principles of the FIFA Statues regarding the independence of member associations and the independence of the decision-making process of the football-governing body in each country."

FIFA said that it issued several warnings to the Greeks to guarantee by a July 15 deadline that the running of football in the country would be free from political involvement, but that this had not been forthcoming.

In particular FIFA cited a proposed new Greek law on professional football leagues in the country that "constitutes another example of interference from the government in football affairs."

"The decision means that the HFF and all of its members (clubs, players, officials) are suspended with immediate effect and until further notice from all international contact .. in all international competitions at all levels," the communique stipulated.

Greece were the shock winners of the Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal and are top seeded in Group C for the 2008 qualifiers along with Turkey, Norway, Bosnia Herzegovina, Hungary, Moldova and Malta.