FOOTBALL: UEFA CANCEL ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN QUALIFIERS OVER DISPUTE
Groningen, Netherlands
Agence France Presse — English
June 24, 2007 Sunday 9:46 AM GMT
European football’s ruling body UEFA has ended a dispute between
Armenia and Azerbaijan over match venues by cancelling their two
European qualifiers.
The countries, who are both in group A of the qualifying tournament
for the 2008 European Championships, are scheduled to meet on September
8 in Azerbaijan and four days later in Armenia.
However they have been at loggerheads since Azerbaijan refused to
host Armenia for the first match.
Believed to be at the centre of the dispute is the Azerbaijan region
of Nagorny Karabakh, which is populated mainly by Armenians.
Azerbaijan proposed instead that both matches be played at a neutral
venue. Armenia refused, leading to a stalemate.
UEFA announced here the day after the European under-21 Championships
– won by hosts the Netherlands – that it has simply cancelled the
two qualifiers, leaving both countries with zero points from a
possible six.
Armenia currently sit fifth in group A with seven points while
Azerbaijan prop up the group on five. Poland are the group leaders
with 19 points, ahead of Portugal (14) and Serbia (14).