In a strongly worded statement which echoed
opposition to the proposals by European football’s ruling body UEFA, CONMEBOL
said holding the World Cup every two years would diminish the quality of the
tournament.
“A World Cup every two years could distort the
most important football competition on the planet, lowering its quality and
undermining its exclusive character and its current demanding standards,”
CONMEBOL said.
“(It) would represent an overload that is
practically impossible to manage in the international competition calendar.
“In the current conditions, it is already
complex to harmonize times, schedules, logistics, adequate preparation of
equipment and commitments.
“The situation would be extremely difficult
with the proposed change. It could even put the quality of other tournaments,
both club and national, at risk.
“There is no sporting justification for
shortening the period between World Cups.”
CONMEBOL said that although it had previously
been open to holding the World Cup more frequently, technical analysis had show
that the proposals were “highly unviable.”
“Therefore, under current conditions, it
ratifies its support for the current World Cup model, with its terms and
classification mechanisms, considering it consistent with the spirit that
animated those who conceived and founded this competition,” the statement said.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino promised this
week there would be decisions by the end of the year on the proposed World Cup
overhaul, which is part of a move to cut out what he called “too many
meaningless matches”.
However the FIFA proposals have drawn broad
opposition across football, with UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin saying the plan
would “dilute” the World Cup and the World Leagues Forum saying it would
“undermine” player welfare.
AFP
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