FIFA sued for compensation

Last updated : 21 December 2005 By Gerry Ormonde
Sepp Blatter appears to have changed his previously-rigid position that clubs should not be paid by national associations during the World Cup.

He said: "The national associations should not only pay their players but also think about the clubs. If the principle is established then clubs should be paid from the World Cup allocation."

Blatter said he could understand the reasoning why for example the French federation should pay clubs for players but that it would be unfair to expect poor African countries to do the same.

He added: "You cannot ask Ivory Coast to pay Chelsea for (Didier) Drogba - that would be turning the world on its head, the rich would get richer and the poor poorer."