Burkina Faso officials resign over Nations Cup losses

The Burkina Faso Football Federation executive committee has quit after a disastrous 2008 African Nations Cup qualifying campaign.

The Burkina Faso Football Federation executive committee has quit after a disastrous 2008 African Nations Cup qualifying campaign.

Burkina Faso suffered a shock 1-0 home loss to Tanzania this month and lie bottom of Group 7 on four points with no chance of reaching the biennial tournament in neighbouring Ghana.

The result completed a hat-trick of defeats during June for the 'Stallions' after going down 1-0 at home to Mali in a friendly and 3-1 away to Mozambique in another Nations Cup qualifier.

"Relations between the executive committee, the sports ministry and a large section of the public have become difficult, leaving the members no option but to resign," federation spokesman Mamadou Barry told reporters here.

Burkina Faso fired coach Idrissa 'Saboteur' Traore in April after a home draw with Mozambique and gave control of the national team to local Sidiki Diarra and Frenchman Didier Notheaux.

The 'Stallions' stunned Africa by finishing fourth under French coach Philippe Troussier when they hosted the 1998 Nations Cup and qualified for the next three editions before failing to reach the finals in Egypt last year.