FIFA has asked the players of South Korea and Japan to refrain from political gestures over disputed islands at their women’s under-20 World Cup match yesterday, an official said.
The request follows an incident at the London Olympics, when South Korea midfielder Park Jong-woo held up a sign declaring: “Dokdo is our territory” after his side defeated Japan.
The quarter-final, set to kick off in Tokyo yesterday evening, came amid heightened diplomatic tensions between the two neighbors over the rocky outcrop in the Sea of Japan, or East Sea.
FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, made the request in a meeting with officials from the two teams on the eve of the match, Korea Football Association (KFA) spokesman Lee Won-jae said.
“FIFA told both teams to avoid any politically-charged celebration or slogans that could incite the crowd,” Lee said.
Park was barred from the medals ceremony at the Olympics earlier this month after his gesture and he has yet to collect his bronze medal as an International Olympic Committee investigation is still underway.
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