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Affiliate members of Fifa including the Ghana Football Association have been tasked to protect themselves from any third-party influences in the administration of the game. The sport-governing body handed out the new declaration at its recent Congress in Bahamas where it amended its statutes on the Obligations and Independence of its affiliate members. According to the Fifa, the amendment to article 13 and 17 of its Statutes was specifically aimed at making the affiliate bodies independent. Fifa stated at its 59th Congress that any form of interference from a third party would be severely dealt with, even if such interference was not reported by the member federation. The new Art 13 on Obligation of Members reads: "To manage their affairs independently and ensure that their own affairs are not influenced by any third parties." Still on the members� responsibility in Art 13, FIFA says: "Violations of Act 13 paragraph 1(g) may lead to sanctions even if the third-party influence was not the fault of the Member concerned." Also in Art 17 on Independence of Members, Fifa says: "Each member shall manage its affairs independently and with no influence from third parties." Explaining the latest development, the world sport body said it has noted with great concern increased rate of interference in various ways by third parties. It added: �Such a development is for obvious reasons contrary to the autonomy of FIFA�s member associations. In order to stop this trend and also to establish a clear legal base in the FIFA Statutes, the latter have to be amended."