The Asian Football Confederation announced on Wednesday that Saudi Arabian clubs will play Champions League matches against Iranian teams "at neutral venues this year because of the lack of improvement in relations between the two countries," according to Mulvenney & Sharafedin of REUTERS. Saudi Arabia "cut all ties with Iran in January after its embassy in Tehran was attacked following the Saudis' execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric." The AFC had set a March 15 deadline for "normal relations" to be resumed between the countries or the matches would be played at neutral venues. The AFC said, "It is most unfortunate for the AFC to learn that... the Saudi Arabian government has yet to lift the travel restrictions on their nationals, which prohibit travel to Iran. This travel ban offers no special dispensation for football teams." The Iranian football federation was "quick to object to the AFC directive in a statement released via the Tasnim news agency on Wednesday." It said, "Football Federation of Iran will send a letter to AFC to announce its objection. Saudi Arabia has brought a political issue into football which is against AFC and (world governing body) FIFA's statutes" (REUTERS, 3/16).
