Fifa Suspends Ban on High-altitude Football

Football's governing body, Fifa, has suspended a ban on international matches at high altitude after protests from Andean nations that thin air is nothing to fear.

The organization's executive committee voted on Tuesday to kick the controversial ban into touch, allowing Bolivia to host World Cup qualifying games in La Paz, its ear-poppingly high capital.

The decision was a victory for Evo Morales, Bolivia's president, who had enlisted the support of Diego Maradona in a campaign against what he termed "football apartheid".

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 extreme heat, cold and humidity. "Let us reopen the discussion," he said.

Fifa introduced a ban on international matches at more than 2,750 meters above sea level last year, citing concerns about players' health and the "unfair" advantage to acclimatised home teams.

Footballers were allowed to play above this altitude only if they had one week to acclimatise, rising to 15 days for games above 3,000 meters, restrictions which would have prevented many matches in the Andes, the roof of the Americas.

The ruling followed complaints by Brazil and other influential members that La Paz and other Andean venues left visiting players gasping for breath and with pounding hearts. A Brazilian club, Flamengo, vowed to boycott high-altitude games after a match at 3,800 meters against Bolivia's Real Potosi left some team members needing oxygen bottles.

Bolivia, which was most affected by the ruling, rallied high-altitude neighbors Ecuador and Peru and much of South America to defend what it called the "universality" of football.

Maradona played an hour-long game at Hernando Siles stadium in La Paz, which is 3,600 metres above sea level, to show that if a 47-year-old could play there, so could fit young professionals.

President Morales, a passionate footballer who when not ruling Bolivia can be seen playing for Litoral, an amateur second division team, joined Maradona in the game, as well as playing in an even higher match, at 5,270 meters.