UEFA to send delegation to Israel over security

UEFA is sending a delegation to Israel to assess whether the security situation there would allow them to host internationals.

A suspected Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up on a bus in Tel Aviv yesterday, killing at least five people and wounding about 40 others, police said.

The blast followed another suicide bombing on Wednesday that ended a six-week lull in the bombing wave, dimming hopes for peace.

The move by UEFA's executive committee followed a presentation by Gavriel Levi, president of the Israeli Football Association, which is currently prevented from staging home games for the national team.

UEFA president Lennart Johansson said Levi had assured UEFA that Israeli authorities had the experience and ability to guarantee the safety of any visiting teams.

"We cannot neglect the risk, we cannot neglect the fact that there is a crucial situation and we cannot neglect the fact that there are visiting teams who must also have a say," Johansson told reporters after a UEFA meeting in Istanbul.

The delegation, which will submit its report to UEFA's Emergency Committee, will be led by vice-presidents Senes Erzik of Turkey and Spain's Angel Maria Villar Lhona.

Israel start their qualifying campaign for the 2004 European championships next month with a Group One fixture away to Malta.

Also in the group are 1998 world champions France, Cyprus and Slovenia.

The imminent international matches mean the inspection will start "as soon as possible, within 10 days," Johansson said.

"We are in a time squeeze. It must happen very rapidly."

However, UEFA said yesterday that its policy on home club matches in European competition - which currently must be played outside Israel - will remain unchanged.

Israel's first Champions League representatives, Maccabi Haifa, have opted to play their home group games in Nicosia, Cyprus, while UEFA Cup hopefuls Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv will be playing their home fixtures in Sofia.