FIFA president Joseph Blatter confirmed on Wednesday that football’s ruling body has began an investigation into the alleged mistreatment of North Korean players and coaches following the team’s poor performance at the World Cup.
North Korea lost all three of their group matches in South Africa, including a 7-0 humiliation by Portugal, and Mr. Blatter said at a press conference in Singapore that FIFA was looking into the issue and had requested details from the North Korean football federation.
“We sent a letter to the football federation to tell us about their election of a new president and to find out if the allegations made by the media that the coach and some players were condemned and punished are true,” Mr. Blatter said.
Reports last month by Radio Free Asia claimed that the North Korean team was summoned to a meeting in Pyongyang where the players were subsequently ordered to reprimand coach Kim Jong-Hun.
Published - August 11, 2010 08:49 pm IST
