PHNOM PENH (Cambodia), May 5: FIFA has threatened to suspend Cambodia's membership due to alleged political interference in the election of its national soccer federation chief, a newspaper reported Friday.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter made the warning in a recent letter to the Cambodian Football Federation, the English language Phnom Penh Post reported.

Blatter's letter was prompted by an April 24 election in which Khek Ravy was replaced as CFF president by Sao Sokha, a close ally of Prime Minister Hun Sen and a lieutenant general commanding Cambodia's national military police force.

''FIFA's statute has been flagrantly violated on the grounds of political interference,'' Blatter was quoted saying in the Post.

''FIFA is not in a position to recognize the so-called election.''

Blatter added that FIFA would be forced ''to propose the suspension of the CFF with its consequences in terms of prohibition of all football contests at world, continental and regional events,'' if the former CFF leadership is not reinstated.

It was not immediately clear what political interference the letter has alleged, but Khek Ravy is a member of the royalist Funcinpec party, a junior partner in the Hun Sen-led coalition.

Sao Sokha could not be reached for comment.

Yean Chhieng, CFF deputy secretary-general, confirmed the existence of the letter but declined to elaborate. He also downplayed the threat.

''In the letter, they (FIFA) said that if it is found that the government had meddled in the election, they will not recognize the new governing body,'' he said. ''They have not suspended us yet.''

But he acknowledged that the annual US$250,000 (euro198,540) FIFA funding to support development of Cambodian soccer could be lost if soccer's world governing body makes good on its threat.

Yean Chhieng said the CFF sent a full report to FIFA on Thursday outlining its reason for holding the recent election.

''I don't know what kind of information they have received to write back to us that they would not recognize the new body, if the government meddled in the election,'' Yean Chhieng said.

Cambodia ranks 184 out of 205 countries and territories on FIFA rankings.—AP