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Stephen Keshi has been sacked as coach of Mali, the Malian Football Federation has announced. The decision follows Mali's early exit in the group stages of this year's Africa Cup of Nations. The federation also terminated the services of the team's technical and medical staff, citing "barely professional behaviour". They will now hire consultants to undertake a "radical reconstruction of the national team". The sweeping changes were made after the federation's executive committee met to undertake "a thorough analysis of the factors that led to the premature elimination of the national team from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations". Mali were eliminated from the competition after finishing third in Group A. As for the players, the Federation added that "no place on the national team is guaranteed". "All the places are open to competition for Malian players who wish to come and serve their country."