High altitude football controversy
Encyclopedia
The High altitude football controversy arose in May 2007 when FIFA
introduced a ban on international matches at more than 2500 metres (8,202.1 ft) above sea level, citing concerns about players' health and the "unfair" advantage to acclimatised home teams. The ruling meant that Bolivia
, Ecuador
and Colombia
would be prevented from hosting FIFA World Cup
qualifiers in their own capital cities, as well as preventing a number of leading club teams in Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Mexico from playing in their own stadia.
that La Paz
and other Andean
venues left visiting players gasping for breath and with pounding heart
s. Brazilian club Flamengo
had vowed to boycott high-altitude games after several of its players resorted to using bottled oxygen during a Copa Libertadores fixture against Real Potosí of Bolivia
, held in rainy conditions at an altitude of 4000 metres (13,123.4 ft). Following this complaint a number of other Brazilian clubs declared that they would not play Copa Libertadores games at high altitude and put pressure on the Brazilian Football Confederation
and FIFA
to impose a ban on football at high altitude.
and Potosí
, are at high altitude. Bolivia's President, Evo Morales
, vowed to lead a campaign against the ban after speaking after an emergency cabinet meeting. Morales said the ruling amounted to discrimination: "This is not only a ban on Bolivia, but it is also a ban on the universality of sports." Morales described the ban as "football apartheid," said he would send a high-level delegation to FIFA's headquarters in Zurich
, and called on other countries to join his campaign. "We cannot allow discrimination in football, we cannot allow... exclusion in the world of sports," he added.
Diego Maradona
joined the campaign, playing an hour-long game at Hernando Siles
stadium in La Paz
, which is located 3600 metres (11,811 ft) above sea level, to show that if a 47-year old could play there, so could fit, young professionals. He led a team of former Argentine internationals in a 7–4 victory over a Bolivian team led by Evo Morales. On 1 April 2009, FIFA called Bolivia's 6–1 victory over the Maradona-coached Argentinan national team
team a “stunning defeat in high altitude against the rank outsiders.” Maradona did not blame the altitude for Argentina's defeat, giving credit to the Bolivian players "from the goalkeeper to the last substitute".
All of the football associations in South America except Brazil stated that they would ignore the ban on high-altitude football and play fixtures in the stadium of their host's choice, whether or not they had the opportunity to acclimatise for a week.
raised the limit from 2500 metres (8,202.1 ft) to 3000 metres (9,842.5 ft), meaning that the only capital city affected by the ban would be La Paz
.
suspended the ban after a letter of protest from CONMEBOL
, the governing body of South American football, backed by all member associations except for the Brazilian Football Confederation
. FIFA's organisation's executive committee voted to rescind the ruling, thus allowing Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador to host World Cup qualifying games their capital cities. Sepp Blatter
, FIFA's president, said the prohibition had been provisionally lifted while further studies were conducted on the effect of high altitude as well extremes of temperature, humidity, and high levels of pollution, saying "Let us reopen the discussion." However, on the 10 June 2010 Blatter stated that "The subject of altitude is not on FIFA’s agenda."
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
introduced a ban on international matches at more than 2500 metres (8,202.1 ft) above sea level, citing concerns about players' health and the "unfair" advantage to acclimatised home teams. The ruling meant that Bolivia
Bolivia national football team
The Bolivia national football team is the national team of Bolivia and is controlled by the Federación Boliviana de Fútbol. After playing in the 1930 and 1950 World Cups, they qualified just once—in 1994...
, Ecuador
Ecuador national football team
The Ecuadorian national football team represents Ecuador in international football competitions and is controlled by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. They generally play official home matches at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, but often play friendlies in other stadiums around the country...
and Colombia
Colombia national football team
The Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
would be prevented from hosting FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
qualifiers in their own capital cities, as well as preventing a number of leading club teams in Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Mexico from playing in their own stadia.
Origins
The ruling followed complaints by the Brazilian Football ConfederationBrazilian Football Confederation
The Brazilian Football Confederation is the governing body of football in Brazil. It was founded on June 8, 1914, as Confederação Brasileira de Desportos , meaning Brazilian Sports Confederation. Its first president was Álvaro Zamith. It organizes the Brazilian national competitions, like...
that La Paz
La Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
and other Andean
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
venues left visiting players gasping for breath and with pounding heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
s. Brazilian club Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo , also known as Flamengo and familiarly as Mengão, is a Brazilian sports club based in the Flamengo bairro, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro, best known for its professional football team...
had vowed to boycott high-altitude games after several of its players resorted to using bottled oxygen during a Copa Libertadores fixture against Real Potosí of Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, held in rainy conditions at an altitude of 4000 metres (13,123.4 ft). Following this complaint a number of other Brazilian clubs declared that they would not play Copa Libertadores games at high altitude and put pressure on the Brazilian Football Confederation
Brazilian Football Confederation
The Brazilian Football Confederation is the governing body of football in Brazil. It was founded on June 8, 1914, as Confederação Brasileira de Desportos , meaning Brazilian Sports Confederation. Its first president was Álvaro Zamith. It organizes the Brazilian national competitions, like...
and FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
to impose a ban on football at high altitude.
The ruling
The ruling required players to arrive at the host city one week before international games above 2500 metres (8,202.1 ft) and two weeks for matches higher than 3000 metres (9,842.5 ft), to allow time to adjust to the thin air.Reaction
Many of Bolivia's major cities, including SucreSucre
Sucre, also known historically as Charcas, La Plata and Chuquisaca is the constitutional capital of Bolivia and the capital of the department of Chuquisaca. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of 2750m...
and Potosí
Potosí
Potosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia...
, are at high altitude. Bolivia's President, Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
, vowed to lead a campaign against the ban after speaking after an emergency cabinet meeting. Morales said the ruling amounted to discrimination: "This is not only a ban on Bolivia, but it is also a ban on the universality of sports." Morales described the ban as "football apartheid," said he would send a high-level delegation to FIFA's headquarters in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, and called on other countries to join his campaign. "We cannot allow discrimination in football, we cannot allow... exclusion in the world of sports," he added.
Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona
Diego Armando Maradona is a retired Argentine football player and widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. Over the course of his professional club career Maradona played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys, setting...
joined the campaign, playing an hour-long game at Hernando Siles
Estadio Hernando Siles
Estadio Hernando Siles is a sports stadium in La Paz, Bolivia. It is the country's largest sports complex with a capacity of 42,000 seated spectators and is named after Hernando Siles Reyes, the 31st President of Bolivia...
stadium in La Paz
La Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
, which is located 3600 metres (11,811 ft) above sea level, to show that if a 47-year old could play there, so could fit, young professionals. He led a team of former Argentine internationals in a 7–4 victory over a Bolivian team led by Evo Morales. On 1 April 2009, FIFA called Bolivia's 6–1 victory over the Maradona-coached Argentinan national team
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
team a “stunning defeat in high altitude against the rank outsiders.” Maradona did not blame the altitude for Argentina's defeat, giving credit to the Bolivian players "from the goalkeeper to the last substitute".
All of the football associations in South America except Brazil stated that they would ignore the ban on high-altitude football and play fixtures in the stadium of their host's choice, whether or not they had the opportunity to acclimatise for a week.
Raising of the limit
In June 2007 FIFAFIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
raised the limit from 2500 metres (8,202.1 ft) to 3000 metres (9,842.5 ft), meaning that the only capital city affected by the ban would be La Paz
La Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
.
Suspension of the ban
In May 2008, FIFAFIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
suspended the ban after a letter of protest from CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...
, the governing body of South American football, backed by all member associations except for the Brazilian Football Confederation
Brazilian Football Confederation
The Brazilian Football Confederation is the governing body of football in Brazil. It was founded on June 8, 1914, as Confederação Brasileira de Desportos , meaning Brazilian Sports Confederation. Its first president was Álvaro Zamith. It organizes the Brazilian national competitions, like...
. FIFA's organisation's executive committee voted to rescind the ruling, thus allowing Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador to host World Cup qualifying games their capital cities. Sepp Blatter
Sepp Blatter
Joseph S. Blatter , commonly known as Sepp Blatter, is a Swiss football administrator, who serves as the 8th and current President of FIFA . He was elected on 8 June 1998, succeeding João Havelange. He was re-elected as President in 2002, 2007, and 2011...
, FIFA's president, said the prohibition had been provisionally lifted while further studies were conducted on the effect of high altitude as well extremes of temperature, humidity, and high levels of pollution, saying "Let us reopen the discussion." However, on the 10 June 2010 Blatter stated that "The subject of altitude is not on FIFA’s agenda."
External links
- Why Fifa's altitude ban is the height of stupidity in The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
- How much effect does altitude have on footballers? Online calculator. Author: Andrew Bretherick