Venezuela avoid FIFA WC ban

Venezuela averted an international ban by FIFA on Friday when the local soccer federation held elections and ended a dispute that nearly derailed its hopes of reaching the 2006 World Cup finals.

The sport's world governing body had threatened to suspend the South American nation from international matches unless the Venezuelan Football Federation held elections for a new president and executive by March 19.

Rafael Esquivel was re-elected as president with support from 26 of the 34 members of the federation's elected assembly, composed of Venezuelan football clubs and associations.

"I feel very satisfied with the result, but I want to add that today it was soccer that triumphed," said Esquivel, who has led the federation for 17 years.

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Representatives of an opposition candidate had frozen the election process by filing an appeal to the Supreme Court calling for a change in the way the poll was organised.

FIFA statutes forbid member nations from taking their grievances to civil courts.

Esquivel became the only candidate standing for the office after his opponent withdrew his candidacy and opened the path to end the dispute.

Oscar Harrison, a FIFA representative who arrived in Venezuela on Thursday to observe the vote, said the process was "peaceful, clear and transparent" and that the situation had been resolved.

Venezuela, ninth in the 10-nation South American World Cup qualifying group, have won four of their 11 qualifiers but still have a chance of reaching the 2006 tournament in Germany.

There are seven games to go and South America gets four slots in the World Cup and plays off for a fifth with Oceania.

Venezuela are at home to Colombia on March 26 and then visit Bolivia in La Paz on March 29 in their next qualifiers.