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Azizi downplays Iran-FIFA dispute

KUALA LUMPUR – Iranian football legend Khodadad Azizi has downplayed the problems that nearly resulted in his country’s exclusion from Tuesday’s draw for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.

The three-time Asian Cup winners were threatened with exclusion from next year’s tournament after FIFA announced the suspension of the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation (IRIFF) in November due to political interference in its affairs.

However, FIFA president Sepp Blatter revealed on Sunday that the ban was to be lifted after agreement had been reached with the IRIFF, allowing Iran to be included in the draw for the 2007 finals, to be held in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday evening.

On Monday, former Asian Player of the Year Azizi said that the nature of the disagreement was not so great that it would have scuppered the participation of one of the continent’s top football nations in next year’s tournament.

“The people of Iran live with football and they place great value in the game,” said the former Cologne striker, who sent Iran through to the 1998 World Cup with his famous equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Australia.

“For them, it is natural for Iran to participate in the Asian Cup and our presence in the tournament also helps to brings great value to it.

“I really don’t think that the problems that we had with FIFA were too big to have prevented us from competing in this tournament.”

Azizi, the Asian Player of the Year in 1996, will be assisting in the Asian Cup final draw at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, along with former Asian football stars Hidetoshi Nakata of Japan, Fan Zhiyi of China, Kim Joo-sung of Korea Republic and Mohesin Al Jamaan of Saudi Arabia.

The draw on Tuesday evening will see the 16 finalists placed in four groups of four for the 2007 finals, which will take place next July in South East Asia.

In addition to the four co-hosts, the other finalists are Bahrain, China, Iran, Iraq, Korea Republic, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, first-timers Australia and defending champions Japan.

The seedings for the draw are to be announced by the AFC on Tuesday morning.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006 at 12:17 AM

 

 

 

 

 

FIFA clear Iran for Asian Cup

YOKOHAMA – Iran have been cleared to be included in the draw for the finals of the AFC Asian Cup after FIFA president Sepp Blatter confirmed the total lifting of a ban on the nation’s international activities.
The draw for the finals – to be hosted by Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand in July next year – are due to be held in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday but Iran’s inclusion was under threat following what FIFA called political interference in the affairs of the national association.
"We reached agreement with the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran and, therefore, we will announce from tomorrow that Iran can participate in the draw for the Asian Cup of nations which will take place on Tuesday," said Blatter.

“This is a good issue and where football has shown its strength on interference and I’m grateful to the political authorities in Iran.

“We are not dealing inside their country but when you participate in international concert then everybody has to abide by FIFA’s statutes. They have to abide either by international rules or they can play on their own.”

The Iranians had been suspended by FIFA following the removal of former football federation president Mohammad Dadkhan after the national side’s elimination from the World Cup in Germany at the group stage during the summer.

A suspension was imposed by the game’s governing body but was temporarily lifted to allow the nation to participate in the Asian Games in Qatar after assurances had been given by the Iranians that the situation would be amended.

The move by FIFA will now allow Iran to aim for a record-breaking fourth Asian Cup title when the finals kick off in South East Asia.

at 12:16 AM

 

 

 

 

 

Kuwait axe Stoichita

KUWAIT CITY - Mihai Stoichita has paid the price for Kuwait's failure to qualify for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup with his dismissal as coach of the national team and replacement by Fawzi Ibrahim.

The Kuwait Football Association (KFA) decided to dismiss the Romanian following Kuwait's failure to reach next year's AFC Asian Cup and the inadequate preparations for the forthcoming Gulf Cup in January.

The 51-year-old was appointed in May 2005 before Kuwait's crucial match against Uzbekistan in the final game of the second round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Despite losing to the Uzbeks, The KFA renewed their faith in Stoichita but the former Steaua Bucharest coach couldn't lead the team to next year's AFC Asian Cup as his side lost 2-1 against Bahrain in their final Group D match last month.

at 12:15 AM

 

 

 

 

 

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