FIFA rules out change in soccer 2002 W. Cup host

FIFA rules out change in soccer 2002 W. Cup host

ZURICH (DPA): Japan and South Korea will remain co-hosts of the 2002 football World Cup despite their bickering about the number of teams that should take part, the International Football Federation (FIFA) secretary general Joseph Blatter said in an interview Thursday.

Asked by the Neue Zuercher Zeitung daily if one of the two could be stripped of the event Blatter said: "That can be ruled out."

Blatter said neither country wanted to lose face by not staging the sport's world climax, but conceded he had already thought about such a scenario.

"It will be very, very difficult to build up a joint effort which goes according to the decision made in May in Zurich," said Blatter, looking back at the May 31 FIFA announcement that for the first time in World Cup history two countries were made hosts.

He also admitted: "It is very difficult to get both parties together. Both federations have completely different ideas about the co-hosting. The Japanese want to make use of all stadiums they are building. They want more teams, more matches, a bigger World Cup. South Korea wants exactly the opposite."

Blatter said both parties had separately visited the FIFA headquarters and that a first joint session was scheduled for Nov. 6.

Both federation presidents had an informal meeting September 8 in Tokyo which brought no results but rather stressed the discrepancies.

Japan hopes for the second straight expansion of the field from 32 in 1998 (up to now 24 teams) to 40 teams in 2002. South Korea wants to halve its sites from 10 to five. The Japanese wish is not likely to be approved by FIFA.

Blatter also reiterated in the interview that the option for two hosts was a "sports political decision and not defeat" for FIFA president Joao Havelange of Brazil.

Havelange was said to have favored Japan while the influential Europeans wanted South Korea as host, out of opposition to Havelange. The relationship between FIFA and the European body UEFA have long been strained, and it was even rumored that UEFA boss Lennart Johansson of Sweden may run for FIFA presidency in 1998.

But Blatter said a recent meeting between the two men in Zurich had been a serious effort to reduce tensions.

"The fraternal hug and kiss on the hand between the FIFA and UEFA presidents in the FIFA headquarters at a private social event was a spontaneous wish from Johansson. We are definitely looking ahead at quieter times," Blatter said.

Blatter also said that rumors that United States football boss Alan Rothenburg, organizer of the 1984 L.A. Olympics and 1994 football World Cup, wanted to run for FIFA presidency were not completely new, but not an idea by FIFA.