AFC stick with ruling

THE Asian Football Confederation (AFC) are unlikely to ease restrictions on the use of foreign players for their two regional tournaments in the wake of UEFA's relaxed rulings.

UEFA have recently swept away restrictions on foreign players in all European club competitions, doing away with the 'three-plus-two' rule which allowed three foreigners plus two assimilated players.

AFC secretary general Peter Velappan said yesterday that the AFC was a completely different body from UEFA and the European Union (EU), and he still doesn't see the AFC following suit for both AFC-sanctioned tournaments, the Asian Club Championship and the Asian Cup Winners' Championship which currently allow three foreign players per side.

'What applies to UEFA and the EU doesn't apply to the AFC, as you know.

'In Asia, there is no such body as the EU. I don't see any changes to the foreign players' ruling,' Velappan said.