Puma has filed a lawsuit against FIFA over the ruling body`s ban of a controversial one-piece kit worn by Cameroon during this year`s African Nations Cup.
Puma filed a suit at a German court asking for over two million euros ($2.41 million) in damages, a spokesman for the German sports goods manufacturer said on Wednesday.
FIFA, world soccer`s governing body, banned the suit manufactured by Puma and then imposed a six-point sanction on Cameroon`s 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign because the team continued to wear it at the Nations Cup.
The penalty, which would have seriously hindered Cameroon`s chances of reaching the 2006 finals in Germany, was lifted by FIFA in May after the intervention of the African Football Federation (CAF).
A court in the German city of Nuremberg will now study the 39-page lawsuit filed by Puma.
"The misconduct of FIFA and the
damage caused by such will be challenged by Puma in a court of law," said Puma lawyer Reinhard Stuenkel.
"FIFA has imposed unclear boundaries and regulations that are open for interpretation," added Stuenkel, who said official approval of the one-piece kit remained a primary objective for Puma.
Stuenkel described the ban as "yet another example of FIFA extending their power beyond the regulations and statutes provided".
Cameroon incurred FIFA`s wrath after they ignored instructions to stop wearing the athletics-style kit during the tournament in January and February.
FIFA lists shirts and shorts as basic equipment in its regulations and believes this implies the items have to be separate.
Cameroon are no strangers to kit controversy. They turned up for the 2002 African Nations Cup in Mali sporting sleeveless shirts which were subsequently banned by FIFA.
