FIFA rules out change in soccer 2002 W. Cup host<\/p>\n
ZURICH (DPA): Japan and South Korea will remain co-hosts of
\nthe 2002 football World Cup despite their bickering about the
\nnumber of teams that should take part, the International Football
\nFederation (FIFA) secretary general Joseph Blatter said in an
\ninterview Thursday.<\/p>\n
Asked by the Neue Zuercher Zeitung daily if one of the two
\ncould be stripped of the event Blatter said: \"That can be ruled
\nout.\"<\/p>\n
Blatter said neither country wanted to lose face by not
\nstaging the sport's world climax, but conceded he had already
\nthought about such a scenario.<\/p>\n
\"It will be very, very difficult to build up a joint effort
\nwhich goes according to the decision made in May in Zurich,\" said
\nBlatter, looking back at the May 31 FIFA announcement that for
\nthe first time in World Cup history two countries were made
\nhosts.<\/p>\n
He also admitted: \"It is very difficult to get both parties
\ntogether. Both federations have completely different ideas about
\nthe co-hosting. The Japanese want to make use of all stadiums
\nthey are building. They want more teams, more matches, a bigger
\nWorld Cup. South Korea wants exactly the opposite.\"<\/p>\n
Blatter said both parties had separately visited the FIFA
\nheadquarters and that a first joint session was scheduled for
\nNov. 6.<\/p>\n
Both federation presidents had an informal meeting September 8
\nin Tokyo which brought no results but rather stressed the
\ndiscrepancies.<\/p>\n
Japan hopes for the second straight expansion of the field
\nfrom 32 in 1998 (up to now 24 teams) to 40 teams in 2002. South
\nKorea wants to halve its sites from 10 to five.
\nThe Japanese wish is not likely to be approved by FIFA.<\/p>\n
Blatter also reiterated in the interview that the option for
\ntwo hosts was a \"sports political decision and not defeat\" for
\nFIFA president Joao Havelange of Brazil.<\/p>\n
Havelange was said to have favored Japan while the influential
\nEuropeans wanted South Korea as host, out of opposition to
\nHavelange. The relationship between FIFA and the European body
\nUEFA have long been strained, and it was even rumored that UEFA
\nboss Lennart Johansson of Sweden may run for FIFA presidency in
\n1998.<\/p>\n
But Blatter said a recent meeting between the two men in
\nZurich had been a serious effort to reduce tensions.<\/p>\n
\"The fraternal hug and kiss on the hand between the FIFA and
\nUEFA presidents in the FIFA headquarters at a private social
\nevent was a spontaneous wish from Johansson. We are definitely
\nlooking ahead at quieter times,\" Blatter said.<\/p>\n
Blatter also said that rumors that United States football boss
\nAlan Rothenburg, organizer of the 1984 L.A. Olympics and 1994
\nfootball World Cup, wanted to run for FIFA presidency were not
\ncompletely new, but not an idea by FIFA.<\/p>",
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