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AFC move to resolve Guam-Iran World Cup row
By Patrick Johnston
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 (Reuters) - The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have stepped in to resolve a row that led to Guam threatening to cancel their World Cup qualifier in Iran after complaints from the U.S. territory that Tehran had delayed visa applications.
Guam said they started the visa process "months ago" for the Sept. 3 fixture but were still waiting on an authorisation code from the Iranian Football Federation so that the required documents could be completed for their players.
The AFC told Reuters on Wednesday they had received a letter from the Guam Football Association on the matter but expected all to be resolved by Friday after speaking with both parties.
"The AFC understand that the Iran Football Federation is currently preparing the visas to be addressed to a third country by August 21, 2015, which has been communicated to the Guam FA by the Iran Football Federation," the statement said.
The U.S. and Iran have been arch-adversaries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and neither have embassies in each other's country. The AFC would not say where the visas would be sent.
Guam head coach and technical director Gary White told Four Four Two Magazine on Tuesday he was outraged by the behaviour towards his team, with the report adding the team were contemplating asking for the fixture to be cancelled.
The report also said Taiwan, who face Iraq in a World Cup qualifier in Tehran on Sept. 3, and Japan, who will play a friendly against Iran in October, had already received their visas to travel.
White, who could not be reached by Reuters, was scathing of the treatment his side had received from the three-times Asian champions.
"It's outrageous that the top-ranked team in Asia has treated us with so little respect," the Englishman told the magazine.
"Our office began this process months ago when they received my training periodisation plan for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers as soon as we knew our opposition back in April, after the draw was completed."
Tiny Guam, dotted in the Pacific Ocean, won their opening two Group D qualifiers against Turkmenistan and India in June, their first ever victories at this level. Their first World Cup qualifier ended in a 19-0 defeat to Iran in 2002.
September's fixture is also expected to end in a heavy loss but White accused his opponents of running scared after they moved the fixture from the usual venue of Tehran's Azadi Stadium to Karaj, at an altitude of 1,400 metres.
"This is not fair and we are not impressed at all," White said.
"I just don't believe it's the right way of going about things, it's not professional, but I guess when under pressure football associations can panic." (Editing by John O'Brien)
AFC move to resolve Guam-Iran World Cup row
By Patrick Johnston
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 (Reuters) - The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have stepped in to resolve a row that led to Guam threatening to cancel their World Cup qualifier in Iran after complaints from the U.S. territory that Tehran had delayed visa applications.
Guam said they started the visa process "months ago" for the Sept. 3 fixture but were still waiting on an authorisation code from the Iranian Football Federation so that the required documents could be completed for their players.
The AFC told Reuters on Wednesday they had received a letter from the Guam Football Association on the matter but expected all to be resolved by Friday after speaking with both parties.
"The AFC understand that the Iran Football Federation is currently preparing the visas to be addressed to a third country by August 21, 2015, which has been communicated to the Guam FA by the Iran Football Federation," the statement said.
The U.S. and Iran have been arch-adversaries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and neither have embassies in each other's country. The AFC would not say where the visas would be sent.
Guam head coach and technical director Gary White told Four Four Two Magazine on Tuesday he was outraged by the behaviour towards his team, with the report adding the team were contemplating asking for the fixture to be cancelled.
The report also said Taiwan, who face Iraq in a World Cup qualifier in Tehran on Sept. 3, and Japan, who will play a friendly against Iran in October, had already received their visas to travel.
White, who could not be reached by Reuters, was scathing of the treatment his side had received from the three-times Asian champions.
"It's outrageous that the top-ranked team in Asia has treated us with so little respect," the Englishman told the magazine.
"Our office began this process months ago when they received my training periodisation plan for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers as soon as we knew our opposition back in April, after the draw was completed."
Tiny Guam, dotted in the Pacific Ocean, won their opening two Group D qualifiers against Turkmenistan and India in June, their first ever victories at this level. Their first World Cup qualifier ended in a 19-0 defeat to Iran in 2002.
September's fixture is also expected to end in a heavy loss but White accused his opponents of running scared after they moved the fixture from the usual venue of Tehran's Azadi Stadium to Karaj, at an altitude of 1,400 metres.
"This is not fair and we are not impressed at all," White said.
"I just don't believe it's the right way of going about things, it's not professional, but I guess when under pressure football associations can panic." (Editing by John O'Brien)
19-0ers
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