World Cup - High Altitude Ban

A row of the highest proportions recently erupted when FIFA President Sepp Blatter declared that no international football matches would be allowed to take place above an altitude of 2,500 metres.

Mr Blatter declared that the ban was to be introduced following advice from its medical committee, but ran into objections from teams such as Bolivia who regularly stage home international games at high altitude.

"I know there will be complaints about this, especially from South America, but we have to think of the health of the players first. It also leads to a distortion of the competition if matches are played at such a level," he said.

"The executive committee have listened to a proposal from the medical committee and have decided to act because to play at above that altitude is not healthy or fair."

Bolivia were one of the first to object to the new regulation - since they stage their home matches in La Paz, which, at more than 3,600 metres above sea level, is the highest capital city in the world.

He also said that the associations of Macedonia and Kazakhstan had been given a deadline of June 15 to resolve their internal problems or else face possible sanctions from world football's governing body.