Diego Maradona has criticised the ban on international matches at high altitude after playing a charity game in Bolivia’s national stadium at 3,600 metres above sea level.
The match took place at the Hernando Siles stadium, a venue which can no longer be used for World Cup qualifying games under FIFA rules.
“I, at the age of 47, and (Bolivian) president Morales have shown FIFA that you can run on this pitch,” the Argentinian legend told reporters.
“You have to play where you are born, not even God can prohibit this and certainly not (FIFA president Sepp) Blatter.”
“The measure is ridiculous because they want to make Bolivia go somewhere else. It’s disgraceful, it was approved by people who have never chased a football, it’s political,” he said.
“Are they trying to change geography?”
FIFA ruled last week that international matches can only be played above 2,750 metres if visiting teams are given one week to acclimatise and above 3,000 metres if they are given two weeks.
As clubs are only obliged to release players for internationals five days in advance, the decision effectively rules out matches above these altitudes.
It means that Ecuador and Bolivia, who traditionally play home matches in Quito and La Paz respectively, would have to move to lower altitude venues.
