The DPR Korea Football Association (PRKFA) have once again refused to entertain demands to play their AFC Asian Cup qualifying match against Malaysia at a neutral venue.
The match, which was supposed to take place in Pyongyang on October 5, was postponed for the third time after the Malaysia government issued a travel ban for their citizens from travelling to North Korea due to security issues.
The match is now expected to be played on either November 9 or 10, but according to Astro Arena, the Harimau Malaya's opponents have refused to budge an inch on their match venue.
Yusoff Mahadi, deputy president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), reiterated that playing in Pyongyang now is impossible.
"It is not that we do not want to go [to North Korea], it is an order from Wisma Putra [Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs]," he said.
Yusoff added that the AFC Competitions Committee, in which he is part of, will have a meeting on October 10 after Malaysia's match against Hong Kong to discuss the matter and will have the final say.
"The AFC [Asian Football Confederation] will evaluate an issue whenever there is any sanction from a country," he explained.
"The upcoming meeting will focus on finding an alternative venue for the match despite of North Korea's insistence of playing at their home ground.
"All commitee members will give careful consideration on the matter before making their decision."
When quizzed, AFC secretary-general Windsor Paul John elaborated on the process that will be followed in the upcoming meeting.
"We will get an evaluation report from a third party, just like what we did when we postponed the match the second time," he said.
"Once we get all the facts, we will present them including the FAM's letter, the Malaysia government's travel ban details and North Korea's letter to the Competitions Committee for them to make a decision."
He also emphasised that the match cannot be postponed anymore because it will not be fair to several parties.
"Regardless of the meeting's outcome, we must be firm that the match must take place in November," he added.
"Sporting-wise, it is unfair that the other two teams have played all their matches to date, while [Malaysia and North Korea] have not."
The match, which was supposed to take place in Pyongyang on October 5, was postponed for the third time after the Malaysia government issued a travel ban for their citizens from travelling to North Korea due to security issues.
The match is now expected to be played on either November 9 or 10, but according to Astro Arena, the Harimau Malaya's opponents have refused to budge an inch on their match venue.
Yusoff Mahadi, deputy president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), reiterated that playing in Pyongyang now is impossible.
"It is not that we do not want to go [to North Korea], it is an order from Wisma Putra [Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs]," he said.
Yusoff added that the AFC Competitions Committee, in which he is part of, will have a meeting on October 10 after Malaysia's match against Hong Kong to discuss the matter and will have the final say.
"The AFC [Asian Football Confederation] will evaluate an issue whenever there is any sanction from a country," he explained.
"The upcoming meeting will focus on finding an alternative venue for the match despite of North Korea's insistence of playing at their home ground.
"All commitee members will give careful consideration on the matter before making their decision."
When quizzed, AFC secretary-general Windsor Paul John elaborated on the process that will be followed in the upcoming meeting.
"We will get an evaluation report from a third party, just like what we did when we postponed the match the second time," he said.
"Once we get all the facts, we will present them including the FAM's letter, the Malaysia government's travel ban details and North Korea's letter to the Competitions Committee for them to make a decision."
He also emphasised that the match cannot be postponed anymore because it will not be fair to several parties.
"Regardless of the meeting's outcome, we must be firm that the match must take place in November," he added.
"Sporting-wise, it is unfair that the other two teams have played all their matches to date, while [Malaysia and North Korea] have not."
