THE draw for Euro 2008 has turned into a logistical headache for planners from Uefa, European football’s governing body. Not only has it had to contend with the eleventh-hour withdrawal of Sven-Göran Eriksson from the official line-up at the event today in Montreux, Switzerland, after it was revealed the England head coach would not be in his job in 2008, but it is facing the prospect of losing one of the teams drawn from the hat because of an unresolved disciplinary issue in the hands of Fifa.
The game’s world governing body has yet to decide whether to sanction Turkey after violence erupted at a World Cup qualifier in Istanbul in November between players and officials from Turkey and Switzerland, a co-host of Euro 2008. The fighting at the end of the match, which Turkey lost 4-2, thus failing to qualify for the World Cup finals in Germany this summer, left one Switzerland player injured.
Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president and a Swiss, had threatened to ban Turkey from the 2010 World Cup. A more considered response from Fifa’s disciplinary committee will not be known until February 6 or 7 after it deferred its decision earlier this month. It has interviewed more than 30 witnesses in the inquiry but still wants to speak to a German journalist who was near the dressing-rooms when the brawl took place.
Meanwhile, Uefa officials have to go ahead with the draw with Turkey in the second pool alongside Germany, Croatia, Italy, Poland, Spain and Romania. If Fifa does decide to suspend the Turkish Football Association, this pool could be reduced to six teams, giving its component nations a higher chance of qualifying. Two teams from each pool progress to the tournament in Austria and Switzerland, who qualify as hosts.