SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) - FIFA president Joseph Blatter on Friday gave Peru an ultimatum to solve a dispute between the government and the Peruvian Football Federation or face suspension from all international competition.
Blatter said FIFA must receive a document by Monday in which both sides "agree to settle the problem in a 10-day period."
The original deadline was Friday, but was extended to Monday because Friday is a holiday in Peru.
"Unless we receive that document by Monday, the Peruvian federation will be immediately suspended," Blatter said.
The suspension would include the ongoing South American qualifying series for the 2010 World Cup and regional club competitions such as the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana.
Even Peruvian referees would be prohibited from officiating in international competitions, Blatter said. However, he said he expects the situation will be resolved before the resumption of South American World Cup qualifying in March 2009.
The head of world football's ruling body is in Chile for the first women's Under-20 world tournament.
The dispute in Peru broke out after the government of President Alan Garcia refused to recognize the election of Manuel Burga as president of the federation.
Blatter called the dispute politics meddling in soccer.
Peru has already lost the right to organize the South American Under-20 championship because of the dispute. It will be hosted by Venezuela instead.
Blatter also said preparations in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup "are on the right track" and downplayed criticism over lack of public security in South African cities.
"There is a lot of talk about security," he said. "Give me one country where security is 100 percent guaranteed, and we will immediately, tomorrow, go to that country to play a World Cup. That does not exist.
"What does exist is security for a specific event, as it was done for the Olympic Games in China," Blatter said. |