Ukraine has canceled its int'l friendly against the U.S. in Cyprus on Wednesday. Football Federation of Ukraine President Anatoliy Konkov said on Monday, "We cannot hold the national championship so what kind of football can we talk of at all? If we do not have an opportunity to play on home soil, why shall we go to Cyprus in those troubled times for your country? We play for our people and country. Our team do not fly to Cyprus and stay at home." The friendly, previously scheduled to take place in Kharkiv, "had been moved to Cyprus because of Ukraine's unstable political situation and requests by the U.S." (REUTERS, 3/3). ... The Chinese national team will accept an invitation to play in the 2015 Copa América in Chile. China, which recently named Alain Perrin its coach, will play in the South American competition for the first time. The Chinese FA said that it has "accepted the invitation" from CONMEBOL, but "still waits for the Asian Football Confederation confirmation" (OLE, 3/3). ... Pakistani and Afghan sports officials have "hailed a decision by football's world governing body to lift a ban on head coverings, saying this will allow more Islamic girls to take up the sport." FIFA on Saturday officially authorized the "wearing of head covers for religious purposes during matches, allowing women who wear a veil in everyday life to cover their heads during matches and men to wear turbans" (AFP, 3/3).
