Football’s global governing body FIFA has rejected Bangladesh football authorities’ plea to switch their World Cup qualifying round match against Pakistan to some other venue.
Pakistan and Bangladesh are to play home and away matches early next month but FIFA has turned down a proposal from Bangladesh to relocate their World Cup 2014 qualifier from violence-hit Pakistan to Dhaka. Pakistan will be facing Bangladesh in the first leg of their Asian zone first round qualifier on June 29 in Dhaka with the return leg in Lahore on July 3. The winners will face Lebanon in the second preliminary round. PFF official Col Ahmed Yar said that the PFF was ready to ornaise the match and there was no security issue as being portrayed by the Bangladeshis.
“We have successfully orangaised two matches against Palestine at Lahore and Karachi and later also hosted Malaysia in the Olympics qualifier. So it is wrong to say that Pakistan is insecure for foreign teams. The team is preparing and if there will be any change in the venue, which I believe will not be, the PFF will follow FIFA instructions,” he added.
“During the FIFA congress in Zurich earlier this month we requested them to allow us to play both legs in Dhaka. But they did not agree,” Kazi Salahuddin was quoted by a wire agency. “Expense was one of our issues. Also we were concerned as our coach was reluctant to travel to Pakistan on security grounds,” he added. Croatian coach Robert Rubcic left Bangladesh on June 2 and has not been in contact with his bosses since.
