ID :
54098
Mon, 04/06/2009 - 12:55
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/54098
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S. Korea says N. Korea's accusation on FIFA match unacceptable
SEOUL, April 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday called North Korea's accusation that its football players were poisoned before last week's World Cup qualifying match in Seoul a groundless and politically motivated accusation.
After losing to South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday, North Korean coach Kim Jong-hun
insisted that three of his key players were poisoned by food offered by South
Korea's football body, the Korea Football Association (KFA).
Kim also fumed that North Korean player Jong Tae-se's header had crossed the goal
line before South Korea's goalkeeper punched it out, contradicting a judgment by
referees.
"If an accident happens during training or transit, and it affects the match, the
host country should take responsibility for the accident," said Kim Joo-sung,
head of the KFA's international affairs department. "But matters related to
hotels or the food are the responsibility of the visiting team."
He said of the disputed goal, "North Korea can lodge an objection with FIFA and
wait for a decision."
North Korea's football association issued a statement on Sunday claiming that the
KFA purposefully poisoned its players to win the crucial match, amid escalated
tension due to the communist country's rocket launch on the same day.
"It can be said that it was beyond all doubt that the incident was a product of a
deliberate act perpetrated by adulterated foodstuff as (the players were
incapacitated) just before the match," the association said through the North's
official Korean Central News Agency.
It argued the defeat was also due to referee bias, and accused South Korean
President Lee Myung-bak of being behind the alleged food-poisoning plot.
"The statement sets a high political tone, not about the sport itself. There's no
need to respond to it," said Kim Joo-sung, the KFA official.
After the match, South Korea jumped to top of the Group B with 11 points in the
Asian qualifying round, with North Korea and Saudi Arabia running second by one
point.
The top two teams of groups A and B grab direct tickets to the 2010 World Cup
finals. The third-placed teams will enter a separate round of playoffs.
After losing to South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday, North Korean coach Kim Jong-hun
insisted that three of his key players were poisoned by food offered by South
Korea's football body, the Korea Football Association (KFA).
Kim also fumed that North Korean player Jong Tae-se's header had crossed the goal
line before South Korea's goalkeeper punched it out, contradicting a judgment by
referees.
"If an accident happens during training or transit, and it affects the match, the
host country should take responsibility for the accident," said Kim Joo-sung,
head of the KFA's international affairs department. "But matters related to
hotels or the food are the responsibility of the visiting team."
He said of the disputed goal, "North Korea can lodge an objection with FIFA and
wait for a decision."
North Korea's football association issued a statement on Sunday claiming that the
KFA purposefully poisoned its players to win the crucial match, amid escalated
tension due to the communist country's rocket launch on the same day.
"It can be said that it was beyond all doubt that the incident was a product of a
deliberate act perpetrated by adulterated foodstuff as (the players were
incapacitated) just before the match," the association said through the North's
official Korean Central News Agency.
It argued the defeat was also due to referee bias, and accused South Korean
President Lee Myung-bak of being behind the alleged food-poisoning plot.
"The statement sets a high political tone, not about the sport itself. There's no
need to respond to it," said Kim Joo-sung, the KFA official.
After the match, South Korea jumped to top of the Group B with 11 points in the
Asian qualifying round, with North Korea and Saudi Arabia running second by one
point.
The top two teams of groups A and B grab direct tickets to the 2010 World Cup
finals. The third-placed teams will enter a separate round of playoffs.
