Blatter to push 6+5 plan through FIFA congress

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Sepp Blatter is vowing to take his '6+5' proposal to restrict foreign players in domestic leagues to the next level after getting the backing of the European confederation.

Blatter said during two days of meetings in Sydney, FIFA's executive board had unanimously agreed on a resolution to take to Friday's Congress "exploring" the implementation of the restrictive quota proposals.

"This will be more than just further talks and investigations," the FIFA president told a news conference here Tuesday.

A FIFA spokesman said the objectives of Blatter's 6+5 plan had been agreed unanimously by the FIFA executive committee, including UEFA president Michael Platini.

Blatter said he would be asking the congress, featuring representatives of FIFA's 208 member federations, to give the FIFA president a mandate to impose the same rules outside of Europe if required.

The plan aims to force soccer clubs by 2012 to start a match with at least six homegrown players, and limit the number of foreigners to five.

Blatter even wants other international sports federations to join the cause.

"The Congress shall request the FIFA and UEFA presidents together with the world of sport - including the IOC - to explore all possible means within the limits of law to implement this rule," he said.

The proposal targets some of Europe's biggest clubs and aims to restore "national identity" to the teams while reducing the drain of players from other continents.

Limits on the number of EU players in European leagues were successfully challenged under the 1995 Bosman ruling. But Blatter said having at least six players who are eligible to play for a country's national team would motivate young athletes.

The proposal faces opposition from clubs with large numbers of foreign-born players and those who want free-market rules to apply to soccer.

But Blatter said he would meet with the president of the European parliament, Hans-Gert Poettering, on June 5 in Brussels to further lobby for support.

He is proposing the stepped introduction of a 4+7 system in 2010, increasing to 5+6 in 2011 and 6+5 in 2012.

In other developments, FIFA's executive committee voted to sign the latest world anti-doping code with new World Anti-Doping Agency president John Fahey in Sydney.

Blatter defended soccer's anti-doping credentials since first signing the WADA code in 2004, saying his sport had the highest number of tests and the least proportion of positive results in 2007.

He also confirmed the temporary suspension of one ban and provisional imposing of another.

The executive committee will recommend the Congress temporarily lift FIFA's controversial ban on international matches at high altitude in the wake of heavy criticism from South America. Blatter said a package to regulate matches in "extreme conditions" will be investigated instead.

Iraq will be banned from international soccer for 12 months unless it reinstates the national soccer association and Olympic committees it disbanded last week.

The Iraqi national team is due to play Australia in a 2010 World Cup qualifying match in Brisbane on Sunday, but the match will be canceled if the government doesn't meet FIFA's Thursday night deadline to reinstate the national association.

"I'm not a betting man, but I try to be a prophet - I have a good feeling they will play in Brisbane," Blatter said.

While saying he abhorred the recent tension in South Africa, he had no concerns about the country hosting the 2010 World Cup.

South Africa has witnessed a wave of violence in recent weeks targeting foreign workers from neighboring countries that has left at more than 50 people dead. Angry mobs have accused immigrants of taking jobs and blame them for crime.

FIFA selected the United Arab Emirates as venue for the Club World Cup in 2009 and 2010 before returning to Japan in 2011 and 2012. The UAE, Japan and Australia were the only candidates.

In other decisions, the executive committee designated Mexico as the host country for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2011 and Colombia for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2011.

It also confirmed that the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation would host the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in 2010, provided that it submitted all outstanding bid documentation in the coming months.