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FIFA Cancels New Zealand-Fiji Match After Visa Row
By http://www.bloomberg.com/
Oct 13, 2007 - 11:37:21 PM
Soccer's governing body canceled tomorrow's World Cup qualifying match between New Zealand and Fiji after lawmakers refused to issue a visa for the Fijian goalkeeper.
Immigration officials denied Simione Tamanisau a visa because his father-in-law is in Fiji's military forces. Under sanctions in place following December's coup in the South Pacific nation, members of the Fiji military and their families are banned from traveling to New Zealand.
``The goalkeeper should have the right to play,'' FIFA said in a statement. The organization said it could not allow the match to take place ``in order to preserve this sporting principle as well as the competitive integrity'' of the qualifying campaign.
FIFA said its request for the New Zealand government to reconsider its decision was rejected, forcing the postponement of the match in Auckland. Tamanisau was the only Fijian to be denied a visa.
The efforts of New Zealand Football, the Fiji Football Association and the Oceania Football Confederation were praised for their attempts to resolve this issue.
``Football is truly a global game and to have a match involving political interference would set a bad precedent,'' the OFC said in a statement on its Web site.
`U-Turn'
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the decision was a ``complete u-turn'' by FIFA and that Football New Zealand had been assured this week that the game would go ahead as scheduled.
``Entry to another country is a privilege, and all countries retain the right to exclude individuals in accordance with their immigration policy,'' Peters said. ``Sporting bodies do not determine those policies.''
The status of the match will be referred to the organizing committee for the 2010 World Cup, the OFC said. The match could be played at a later date at a neutral venue or return to New Zealand should the government change its stance, the confederation added.
The game had been set to open the second round of Oceania qualifying for the tournament in South Africa. Fiji, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Vanuatu play each other at home and away with the top two advancing to a playoff. The winner will then face Asia's fifth-placed team over two games for a berth in the World Cup.
Fiji will host New Zealand on Oct. 17 in Lautoka as scheduled, FIFA said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Dan Baynes in Sydney
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