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Pyongyang blames the refs for loss

North Korean soccer fans watch the World Cup qualifying match between North Korea and Iran at the Kim Il-sung stadium in Pyongyang, yesterday. The match ended in a 2-0 victory to the Iranians but was marred by crowd violence. PHOTO: EPA

North Korea's soccer association on Friday accused referees of bias during recent World Cup qualifying matches, after fans' anger over alleged missed calls during a match against Iran erupted into violence.

The North's Football Association called on the world soccer governing body FIFA "to take strict sanctions against the international chief referees who were in charge of matches" it recently hosted in the capital Pyongyang against Bahrain and Iran, in a statement carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency.

At a news conference in Pyongyang, soccer officials showed videotapes of alleged bad calls to journalists, KCNA reported.

North Korea lost both games, seriously jeopardizing its hopes of making it to the World Cup for the first time since 1966.

A failed penalty call late in its Wednesday match against Iran, when Nam Seong-chol charged to the goal but was apparently pulled down, sent the entire North Korean squad to angrily confront Syrian referee Mohammed Kousa. The North ending up losing, 0-2.

As fans threw bottles and rocks onto the field, the Iranians and referees were forced to remain in the stadium until police and soldiers quelled the violence.

The association on Friday didn't directly mention the rare outbreak of public violence in the tightly controlled country, but reaffirmed that North Korean "players will strictly abide by the rules in every international match."

The North's state-run media has only made scant mention of the riot, with KCNA saying in a brief report on the game that "at the end of the match all the spectators were angered and vigorously protested the wrong refereeing by the Syrian referee and linesmen."

The mayor of Den Bosch has ordered the match between FC Den Bosch and Feyenoord be postponed until further notice because of security concerns.

A statement on Feyenoord's Web site on Friday said the game, scheduled for Wednesday, had been postponed by mayor Ton Rombouts because fans who were brawling at an earlier match between Den Bosch and JC Roda Kerkrade have not been apprehended.

"The home team is not ready for the game," the statement read. "Rombouts can't guarantee the safety of the visitors."

Den Bosch vowed to ban those involved from the stadium, but has so far not identified them.

Local police are reviewing security videotapes of the March 18 match, but no arrests have been made.

Feyenoord is fourth in the Dutch premier league, while Den Bosch is in last place of the 18 teams.

sign of respect

The coaches of leading Serie A teams called for the suspension of Italian league matches this weekend in a sign of respect for the seriously ill Pope John Paul II.

"To stop [matches] would be right and proper," said AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti on Friday.

Juventus coach Fabio Capello agreed, adding: "The Holy Father deserves respect."

Italian soccer league authorities have not yet made a decision.

Lazio coach Dino Zoff said that "it's not up to the players and coaches, but to the soccer governing body to decide" whether matches should be stopped.

Four Serie A matches were scheduled for yesterday -- which involve AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan -- and six are scheduled for today.
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