FIFA dismiss North Korea witchhunt claims
Reuters - Wednesday 25 August 2010, 10:14
ZURICH - FIFA has dismissed allegations
that North Korea's coach and players were punished for losing
all three of their games at this year's World Cup.
Asian media reported the side had been publicly shamed
after returning from South Africa having conceded 12 goals in
the first round.
Football's governing body FIFA insisted it was business as usual
for North Korea and that no such witchhunt had taken place.
"The (North Korean) FA assures FIFA that Mr Kim Jong-hun,
head coach of the national team, and all the other members of
the national team are training as usual," FIFA said in a
statement.
"The association also indicates that there were no
sanctions to the coach and that the reports on this matter were
baseless.
"With all of the information at hand, and having checked
all of its sources, FIFA has decided to close the matter."
North Korea lost 2-1 to Brazil, were humiliated 7-0 by
Portugal and easily beaten 3-0 by Ivory Coast at the World Cup.
Radio Free Asia and South Korean media claimed Kim and his
team were forced onto a stage at the People's Palace of Culture
in front of 400 government officials, students and journalists.
Reports said the players were subjected to six hours of
criticism for their performance at the World Cup, their first
appearance since 1966.
ELECTION FAIR
FIFA added that an election for the president of the North
Korea FA was also considered to be within its rules.
"The (North Korean) FA clarified that the election of the
president of the association held on 19 June was held in
accordance with the statutes of the association and were not
affected by any result of the team at the World Cup," said
FIFA.
"At the time of the election the team had only played one
match against Brazil and had shown a good level of play."
North Korea were also involved in controversy during the
qualifiers, especially during four clashes with neighbours
South Korea.
After they refused to play the South's national anthem or
raise its flag for a qualifiers in Pyongyang, FIFA had to move
the matches to Shanghai to avoid a full-scale diplomatic row.
North Korea protested to FIFA that their players' food had
been tampered with and that the referee had been biased
following a 1-0 defeat to South Korea in April 2009.
"The match thus turned into a theatre of plot-breeding and
swindling," the North said in a statement.
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