March 16, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 7, 1429

ZURICH, March 15: FIFA President Sepp Blatter said on Friday he was confident of a resolution to the row over the Spanish government’s alleged interference in the running of its football association.

Blatter, speaking after a FIFA executive committee meeting, said he could not imagine Euro 2008 taking place in June without Spain but added world soccer’s governing body could still be forced to take action.

Last month he said Spain may face international suspension if their government continued to insist on early elections at the football association.

“It was not a threat and it was not pressure,” Blatter told reporters on Friday. “I was simply explaining the situation. If the government continues its attempt to harm the federation and its statutes we’ll have no alternative but to intervene. But I’m sure this will not happen.”

The Spanish government has ordered all sporting associations not involved in this year’s Beijing Olympics to hold elections in the first quarter of the year.

FIFA said this amounted to political interference in the running of the football association which was not due to hold its electoral congress until November.

While giving Spain more time, FIFA decided to immediately suspend the Albanian football association due to “heavy political interference”.

FIFA has accused the sports ministry of repeated meddling by refusing to accept the association’s independence and demanding a percentage of its TV venue.

The ruling body also expressed anger at “groundless” government claims of match-fixing during two Euro 2008 qualifiers played after Albania had lost any chance of reaching the

finals.—Reuters