Here's the article. It's because of SARS. http://footballasia.com/mrel/news_53258_E.html "The FIFA Women's World Cup in China will be held from September 23rd - October 11th and the draw has been fixed for May 24th . The home and away games for the play-off match are scheduled for May 10th which is Mexico's home match while May 17th will see the third AFC team hosting Mexico. " Doesn't give them much time to work with.
One would hope that FIFA would push back the scheduled home and home with Mexico. While Chinese Taipei is listed in the article, it is not a big threat here, but it is particularly bad in Hong Kong, Southern China, and Northern Viet Nam (all three are participants in the competition). Thailand is also currently requiring ALL visitors from certain countries and regions (Taiwan included) to wear surgical masks.
Yesterday, they showe the situation on the news in Thai airports. Some people were impressed with the operation. Others were frustrated.
An article in this morning's San Diego paper about Joy Fawcett being out also had this in it: *** Zhang will be in uniform today but is expected to play limited minutes, if at all. She didn't arrive in San Diego until yesterday, a week later than originally scheduled after problems gaining her release from her Chinese club. Zhang waited to go through Beijing instead of Hong Kong, which has more frequent flights to the States but also has been hit hard by the deadly SARS illness that began in southern China. Severe acute respiratory syndrome could affect more than soccer players' flight schedules, though. Yesterday the Asian Football Confederation indefinitely postponed its 14-nation championships scheduled to open April 17 in Thailand that double as qualifying for the Women's World Cup. SARS cases have been found in Thailand, but certainly not on the scale that has plagued China – raising questions about whether the World Cup is in jeopardy of being postponed, moved or canceled. At a minimum, the World Cup draw would appear to be in jeopardy. It is scheduled for May 24 in Wuhan, about 600 miles north of the first outbreak of SARS.
milbrett had just posted this in the KK thread... SARS epidemic puts China Women's World Cup in jeopardy April 7, 2003 By Jamie Trecker SportsTicker Contributing Editor
Doesn't sound good for now but hopefully the good air of summer will clear things out. Anyway, there's one major championships which has a team from Japan competing in right now. In Winnipeg right now is the World Curling Championships. And it's a good one so far.
Maybe the humidity combined with the smog will destroy it. That was one of the things they talked about when they said that cropdusters would be used by terrorists. They said that the chemicals would be destroyed in the air first before reaching us in the eastern metropolitan US. Anyway, I was just referring to China. I just meant in general.
That would be mildly amusing. The smog and pollution endemic in most large Chinese cities leading to the solution for SARS! Wouldn't the environmentalists just love it.
It all started in the factory towns of Guangdong which are hardly known for being conducive to easy breathing. As along as Moon Hill doesn't disappear, then I won't be totally heartbroken.
New dates for the Asian WCQ are June 10-22 in Thailand. http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-asia-sars&prov=ap&type=lgns
I wonder if the Thai government will waive some of their requirements for Chinese and Taiwanese in Thailand, including the mandatory wearing of surgical masks. It would be kind of funny watching the players play in surgical masks. As it is, China and Chinese Taipei are still affected by SARS and it is getting worse in both places. One wonders if it will affect their participation.
Let's get a bit of perspective here. How many total have died of SARS??? less than 500 hundred... well every HOUR, 500 die of TB or MALARIA... so where's the fear of malaria and TB??? and we're not even talking about AIDS...
This disease is in its first few months of existance. It mutates easily and is easily spread. If it is not stopped now, it will create death totals far surpassing any of the above diseases. And don't even get me started on AIDS which is primarily a disease spread by behavior.
Assuming China keeps the automatic qualifier spot, 2.5. North Korea and Japan are the favorites to qualify with South Korea and Chinese Taipei likely to battle for the home and home with Mexico. I give a slight edge to Chinese Taipei based on the draw. (and perhaps because I live here)
Why should China keep the automatic qualifier spot? Will they be given automatic qualification next time as well? I could see the justice of it if the Asian qualifying tournament was already over, but since it hasn't been played yet, why shouldn't China now have to qualify like everyone else?
some one here afraid of the chinese??? fifa is political...... i highly doubt they will take away their "host" rights the interesting story is would the USA govt let North Korea play, assumming they qualify, which is a lead pipe mortal lock... I'd like to see Mexico and North Korea do the home an away for the final slot.... mexico city versus pyongyang.... talk about culture clashes of the uptmost.
I'm more afraid of the North Korean team than the Chinese... Of course FIFA is political. But what the hey - they have already taken away the tournament and given the Chinese the next one to soothe their feelings. Why would they hesitate to take away their automatic qualification as well?
If the tournament is given to the USA, which seems likely, taking the automatic bid from China will create an extra bid (unless it is given to Asia). If that extra bid is given to Asia, China will get it anyway, so it seems that it doesn't matter what you do. If you take the extra bid AWAY from Asia, where does that leave Chinese Taipei and SOuth Korea (who are expected to fight for the chance to play Mexico)?
My view is the automatic allocation should still go to China. What's interesting to me is thr willingness of mexico to travel to either Taiwan or Seoul to play the home and away qualifying match. I could imagine some political gamesmanship happening to have the ASIAN home match moved to some neutral site.
Seoul should be no problem, SARS is not a problem there. Chinese Taibei is another matter, now the SARS epidemic is worse in Taibei than in any other city in Asia. However, if Chinese Taipei can't host (in the event of its advancing to the series), then Mexico shouldn't host a match either. Have then both in countries of their respective confederations.
The object of my inquiry was not to try to find ways of keeping China out of the tournament. As I have noted elsewhere it would make a lot of sense to give the automatic qualifying spot to the USA, and give CONCACAF another 2 whole spots. This would give Mexico automatic qualification without having to play off against an Asian team. Asia would keep 3 qualifying positions (instead of the present 2.5 plus the host position). China would still likely qualify. I just think it would be anomalous if Mexico loses the playoff and Asia ends up with 4 teams in the WWC to CONCACAF's 2, when the host country is in CONCACAF!
The only problem with what you say here is that Asia is a stronger region that CONCACAF. The fourth place team in Asia will likely be better than a Mexican side that is really quite weak. There are five quality teams in Asia while there are only two in CONCACAF. Why would you be against Asia getting four spots if its fourth place team defeats Mexico (CONCACAF thereby getting two spots) if the fourth place Asian side is a better team. I say leave it as is with China getting the automatic berth, OR give Asia 3.5 spots (as the quality of play on this continent dictates).