Soccer: Malaysia appeal against North Korea match in Pyongyang

[shian]

[quote]The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is considering Malaysia's appeal against having to play an Asian Cup qualifier against North Korea in Pyongyang next month, the governing body said on Wednesday.

Diplomatic relations between the countries had soured following the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged elder half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in February.

As tensions rose over Kim's killing, the Malaysian national team was barred from traveling to North Korea, preventing them from playing the match originally scheduled on March 28.

The AFC said on Monday that the postponed Group B match would be played on June 8 following confirmation from the Football Association of Malaysia that no government travel restrictions are in place.

"I can confirm that we have received the appeal (from Malaysia) and we are considering it," an AFC spokesman told Reuters.

On Tuesday, Malaysia's sports Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin expressed concerns over the safety of the national football team in Pyongyang.[/quote]

[url]http://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-asia-malaysia-northkorea-idUSKBN1861D8[/url]

[WhyNott]

I didnt know that north korea was taking part in any sports events or tournaments or whatever

[croguy]

[QUOTE=WhyNott;52215967]I didnt know that north korea was taking part in any sports events or tournaments or whatever[/QUOTE]

They do, it's just that they don't really have a good track record in sports.

[Kuru]

[QUOTE=croguy;52216023]They do, it's just that they don't really have a good track record in sports.[/QUOTE]

Didn't they have a world record weight lifter?

[BuffaloBill]

Yeah no, I sure as fuck wouldn't want to go there if I were in Malaysia's team either.

[Mr. Someguy]

In Pyongyang? Whose idea was it to allow that to happen. I wouldn't want to go either.

[Daniel Smith]

[QUOTE=nerdster409;52216251]Didn't they have a world record weight lifter?[/QUOTE]

They did until he lifted up the border wall and defected.

[Lollipoopdeck]

[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;52216718]They did until he lifted up the border wall and defected.[/QUOTE]

i want this to be true

[Scarabix]

[QUOTE=Butthurter;52216913]i wonder what my one friend's stance on this situation is right now, considering he once thought "north korea is an evil human rights violating regime" was some kind of western libel trying to degrade asian culture or something[/QUOTE]

To be quite honest it took me a while to come to terms with Pol-pot not being a fictional character.