Magali made the comments on Saturday after FFTL failed to attend a football congress designed to address the recent Asian Football Cup ban.

“All of the structure of FFTL must sit together with all football entities and the government to looking for a solution,” Magali said. “But if you don’t want to take part you will not find a solution.”

Magali said Timor-Leste football was much loved and its large fan-base deserved to be able to support their national team.

On January 20 Timor-Leste was banned from competing in the Asian Football Cup until 2023 after nine of its players were found to be competing with false documents.

Magali said the government through the Secretariat State of Youth and Sports had invited FFTL to meet with them on two occasions but on both times had been rejected.

He called for politics to be kept out of football, and for people to put aside their differences in the interest of sport.