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The changing heights

A few weeks ago FIFA announced that no World Cup qualifying matches were going to be played at altitudes of more than 2500m but yesterday that maximum altitude was adjusted upwards to 3000 metres.

Pressure from the South American federation (Conmebol) has paid off because it had at least four of its members affected by the controversial ban.

The latest increase will now allow Colombia to play in its capital Bogota at 2640m and Ecuador to play in Quito at 2800m.

However, this new altitude maximum still rules out Bolivia's La Paz at 3650m and Peru's Cuzco at 3400m and obviously the latest change will not please Bolivia and Peru.

I don't understand why FIFA only looked at altitude without looking at other conditions like heat, cold and humidity. As long as they concentrated on altitudes alone and left other extremes untouched it was always going to look like they were deliberately targeting South American countries.

I think the best thing to do is to remove the ban altogether unless FIFA rules that no football of any sort should be played in places like La Paz. That they won't do and that is the problem.

I am wating to see what will happen at the special FIFA conference in October that will now discuss playing football in all extremes.

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