Asia delegates walk out in World Cup row

Asia delegates walk out in World Cup row

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters): Asia's entire delegation
walked out of a FIFA congress on Friday in protest over the
allocation of places for the 2002 World Cup finals and repeated a
threat to boycott the qualifying tournament.

Despite an impassioned plea from FIFA president Sepp Blatter,
Asian delegates stood up and left the conference room en masse,
leaving the remaining national associations in stunned silence.

The move came less than 24 hours after the Asians said they
would boycott the 2002 qualifying tournament and go into the
World Cup with only two countries -- joint hosts Japan and South
Korea.

"This continent has 3.5 billion people and is hosting the
World Cup for the first time," Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
general secretary Peter Velappan said.

"This matter has been going on for several months, it's no use
FIFA waking up to it now. The issue is quite clear: we want three
full qualifying berths plus two for the host nations. The ball is
now in FIFA's court."

"We will only reconsider if Mr Blatter can come up with an
amicable conclusion. There is sufficient time to solve this but
it is now FIFA's responsibility."

Blatter was clearly infuriated. "This is a day of shame," he
told a news conference later.

"When you're in a family you do not leave the table before
dinner is served. We paid for their flights, their hotel and
their food. Is it polite to react in this way?"

Last Tuesday, Europe agreed to a play-off with Asia for the
final qualifying place in 2002, giving the Asians a minimum four
places in 2002, the same as last year, and a maximum of five.

But Velappan said this was not enough and that his continent
wanted five to start with, without having to rely on a play-off.

"We want South America to give up half a place as well," he
said. "There is no justification for a continent of 10 FIFA
nations having a possible five places."

The walk-out was the first in FIFA history and Blatter said he
felt betrayed. "I was irritated and shocked. I met the AFC
president (Sultan Ahmed Shah) several times yesterday and today
and he told me he would play things low key," Blatter said.

"He said he was happy to have been given half a place by the
Europeans and that he could not expect to have additional slots
just because two Asian nations were staging the World Cup."

Blatter said an inquiry would now be launched to try to find a
solution but hinted Asian member countries could be punished.

"I will have to assess the situation regarding the national
associations of Asia," he said.

"Meantime let's wait a little. I think and hope that they will
eventually come back to the table."

Asked whether he would contemplate moving the World Cup
elsewhere, Blatter appeared to rule such a move out. But he
repeated his anger at the Asian stance.

"This cannot be accepted -- impossible," he said. "There will
definitely be an inquiry. They have been so stubborn and I don't
know why."

A South American source who asked not to be identified said
earlier his confederation would agree to the Asian request to
give up half a place "over our dead bodies".

Unless the issue were resolved by FIFA, said Velappan, the AFC
would call an emergency meeting within the next 60 days to
endorse the decision, taken by its executive committee on
Thursday, to boycott the qualifying tournament.

"This is not a bluff," Velappan insisted.

The Asians, who also boycotted the pre-congress dinner in Los
Angeles on Thursday night, were begged by an anxious and clearly
embarrassed Blatter not to walk out of Friday's extraordinary
congress which, because of FIFA's rules, could not include any
discussion of matters not on the agenda.

The FIFA president, trying his hardest to maintain some
decorum in the middle of one of the biggest crises to hit the
world body in recent times, said earlier he had been "shocked and
surprised" both by the Asian boycott announcement and its planned
walk-out.

Blatter said he had been let down by the reaction of the
Asians.

"I have tried to find a solution to increase Asia's number of
spots," he said. "I have negotiated with other continents and
UEFA has already, generously, given up half an allocation."

"I agreed privately with the AFC president to take up this
further problem outside the confines of this conference. This
explains my shock reaction today."

With the whole room looking on, Blatter then pleaded with the
Asian delegates to change their minds about walking out. "I
appeal to the national associations of Asia not to run out of the
congress," said Blatter. "I ask you to reconsider. You are part
of a footballing family."

With the draw for the 2002 finals being staged in December,
that family is now in grave danger of being irrevocably split.