UPDATED ON:
THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2008
12:00 MECCA TIME, 9:00 GMT
 
NEWS SPORT
Israel ban may affect Chelsea tour

Avram Grant, Chelsea's Israeli manager, will require special permission to enter Malaysia [GALLO/GETTY]

Chelsea, English Premier League title contenders, have announced a mini-tour of Asia in the 2008 off-season, but said they may have to cancel the Malaysian leg if Avram Grant, the club's Israeli manager, is not allowed into the country.
Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel, and its citizens, including coach Grant and defender Tal Ben Haim, need to obtain special permission to travel to the South East Asian nation.

 

The Football Association of Malaysia told a press conference that tour organisers would raise the issue with the foreign ministry in order to obtain clearance for Chelsea's Israeli pair.

Peter Kenyon, Chelsea chief executive, announced matches in Malaysia on July 29 and in China's southern city of Guangzhou tentatively on July 23, and said he was confident visa approval would be secured.

"It will make no sense to travel without a key member of the coaching staff."

Peter Kenyon,
Chelsea CEO
"We really do not anticipate that to be a problem. We think it can be solved," Kenyon said.

However he indicated the London club could be forced to cancel the Malaysian visit if Grant and Ben Haim were indeed banned from entering the country.

"We clearly could not travel without our top coach. This [tour] is a critical part of training for the 2008-2009 season," Kenyon told AFP.

"It will make no sense to travel without a key member of the coaching staff."

Boosting the profile

The incident is similar to last year's Asian visit by Manchester United, who were forced to cancel their Malaysian leg after the Asian Football Confederation complained it clashed with Malaysia's joint-hosting of the 2007 Asian Cup.

Chelsea, who have strong support in Malaysia, are scheduled to play the much-maligned national team who have slipped down the Fifa rankings to 164 after their halcyon days in the 1970s.

Their opponents in China have not yet been announced.

Kenyon said the tour was aimed at boosting football's profile in Asia, as although the Premier League is wildly popular in Malaysia and the rest of the region, the national teams attract little support and sparse crowds.

"We are delighted we are coming to Asia, in particular Malaysia," the Chelsea chief said.

"Asia is an important region for football.

"We want football in Asia to grow from the top to the grassroots [level]."

In 1997, Malaysia allowed Israel to compete in the 22-nation ICC Trophy cricket tournament in Kuala Lumpur, but the decision sparked a series of demonstrations in the capital.

Malaysia's population is dominated by Muslim Malays, but the nation is also home to large ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.

Source: Agencies
Related:
Loew offers Huth hope  
(24 Mar 2008)
Mascherano faces lengthy ban  
(24 Mar 2008)
United move into the driver's seat  
(23 Mar 2008)
Keegan finally tastes victory  
(22 Mar 2008)
Tools:
Send  Email article
Print  Print article
 Send your feedback
Top news
Standoff ends in Lebanon capital
Lebanon unrest: Insiders' views
Timeline: Crisis in Lebanon
Who's who in Lebanese politics
Serbians split before election day
SPORT news
Massa takes Turkish pole
Liu Xiang starts season with a win
Boozer leads Jazz fightback
Chelsea's Grant tired of rumours
Axed Rijkaard accepts blame