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FIFA favour stopping Brazilian Ailton playing for Qatar


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HAMBURG, Germany (AFP) - FIFA are in favour of stopping Brazilian striker Ailton from playing for oil-rich Qatar and of taking measures to prevent such incidents happening again, an executive committee member of soccer's world governing body said.

Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder, also the president of the German football federation, said the matter was utter nonsense.

"We are of the opinion that it is ridiculous that people can acquire the nationality of a country with which they have absolutely no connection. It attacks the fundamental fabric of national teams.

"FIFA has acknowledged this abusive use of trying to change nationality (in the Ailton affair) and want to oppose it," Mayer-Vorfelder said in an interview with German news agency DPA.

The Werder Bremen striker, who leads the Bundesliga scoring charts with 20 goals this season, has accepted a money-spinning offer to help fire Qatar to the World Cup finals after being continually overlooked by Brazil.

"It's almost certain that Ailton will play with the Qatar national team in the next 2006 World Cup qualifier against Jordan on March 31," Qatar Federation deputy secretary general Majed Al-Khalifi told AFP earlier this week. He added that Ailton was expected in Doha next week.

Ailton said he was not concerned what FIFA might do. "I don't really care," he said on Friday. "I will be flying to Qatar on Monday and I will sign a contract."


Qatar buying players has just got to be great for the sport hasn't