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Macao willing to solve "misunderstanding" with FIFA Macao is willing to intermediate in solving a "misunderstanding" between FIFA and the Macao Football Association (AFM), said a senior sport official with China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government here on Wednesday. According to FIFA's official website on Wednesday, the world soccer governing body had decided to suspend AFM's membership, which means all international football activities, including the East Asian soccer games in October. The suspended activities include foreign teams' participation in matches held in Macao and matches of Macao teams abroad, participation to regional tournaments, Macao's electoral rights ininternational football organizations. Macao Sports Development Board acting president Vong Iao Lek onWednesday told Xinhua that FIFA had sent a letter to the bureau inquiring its interference with AFM's election of a new president in October last year, and apparently they were not satisfied with Macao's answer. It was reported that a dispute in the board of AFM over the leadership caused over half members with the board to resign, and led to the election. Victor Cheong Lup Kuan came out of the election held by a newly-elected board. His victory and the new board were accepted by the government. However, in a letter from FIFA to AFM's former president Andy Chui Vai Pui, it said that FIFA still considered Chui in his capacity as "president" of AFM. "FIFA's decision came all of a sudden," said Vong. "We have notbeen notified in any forms about it beforehand. However, we still hope to help AFM solve the problem as soon as possible." Incumbent president of AFM Cheong said that the association would try its utmost to solve the issue with FIFA before the 4th East Asian Games (EAG), which costs a government budget of 2.6 billion patacas (about 325 million US dollars) in infrastructure construction. Cheong rejected FIFA's claims that the association's election was undemocratic and the government interfered in its internal affairs. He said that he was directly elected by 55 members from 63 football organizations affiliated to the association. The election was held legitimately and acknowledged by the local government. Manuel Silverio, president of the Macao Sports Development Board and also
chairman of the organizing committee of the 4th EAG,said that FIFA can not
unilaterally cancel the football contests in the EAG, which means that if
participating countries and regions approved to send their teams, EAG's football
matches wouldhopefully go on.
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