FIFA boss Vows to Combat Ruling

FIFA President Arrived in China for Visit

Visiting FIFA President Sepp Blatter commended the limits on foreign players in Chinese professional league, which he saw an appropriate way to mitigate the so-called "Bosman ruling" that has caused a stir in Europe.

The Chinese Football Association was wise to impose a rule that allows only three foreign players on the field at the same time, he said Friday in Kunlun Hotel International Conference Center in Beijing.

"That way teams can keep their own styles and their matches can be called real local soccer. But some European teams are saturated with foreign footballers," he said.

The Bosman ruling, the result of a case brought by Belgian midfielder Jean-Marc Bosman, was adopted by the European Soccer Union in 1995. It gives soccer players freedom of movement at the end of their contracts and swept away limits imposed by soccer authorities on the number of foreign players a club can field.

In Shanghai on Thursday, Blatter said that he would fight what he called "the disruptive impact" of the Bosman ruling on the free movement of footballers.

He said the ruling would cause a widening gap between clubs with all of the top players going to a few rich top clubs.

During his visit, he recommended that Chinese soccer aim for "efficient soccer matches" instead of just worrying about gate receipts.

He said FIFA would send an elite delegation to China soon to help improve play and management of the sport.

But he said the outstanding play of the Chinese women's squad in 1999 World Cup signals that the nation might have many talents who can play against international competition.

Blatter will meet several Chinese sports officials to discuss the possibility of China hosting a highly regarded soccer tournament.