Asian soccer chiefs will hold emergency talks in Bangkok on Tuesday to discuss FIFA's decision to limit them to just two qualifying places in the 2002 finals - for which Japan and South Korea gain automatic entry as co-hosts.
"There is a lot of support from a lot of zones," Sheikh Ahmad al-Saber of Kuwait, head of the Olympic Council of Asia, told Reuters at a Kuwait-Qatar soccer match at the Asian Games.
He added: "There will be a meeting of the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) tomorrow and they are here because of this dea."
Asian nations are furious at FIFA's decision to cut Asia's qualifying spots from a maximum of four after play-offs to just two of the 32 on offer. They say they are being penalised for FIFA's messy compromise of awarding the Cup to two countries.
If a boycott were to happen it would not be the first time. Asian and African nations withdrew en masse from the qualifying campaign for the 1966 finals after the two continents were only given one spot.
In the end only maverick North Korea played on, making the finals after beating Australia in a play-off.
Sheikh Ahmad, who is also head of the Kuwait Football Federation, has been the most most vocal supporter of a boycott, warning on Sunday that Asia was prepared to live without soccer's biggest show and Japan and Korea would have to line up behind whatever the AFC decides.
"They are trying to take more from us than from any others. We have to fight for our rights," he said.
"The OCA will support the AFC 100 percent whatever they decide, even if they boycott the World Cup."
But co-hosts Japan and South Korea, eager for their month in the spotlight, even if they have to share it with each other, were quick to pour cold water on the idea of a boycott.
Japanese soccer boss Shunichiro Okano said the sheikh had no right to speak on behalf of the AFC.
China, a rising power in Asian soccer, said it was reserving its decision on a boycott.
He Huixian, deputy secretary-general of the Chinese delegation at the Asian Games, said the present allocations were unfair.
"We've heard talk of a boycott, but our decision has not been finalised yet," she added.
At the 1998 World Cup in France, Asia had three guaranteed places and earned a fourth when Iran played Oceania winners Australia in a play-off.
Next time, the Oceanian qualifiers will play off against the fifth placed team from Latin America, Africa will keep five places, Central and North America will have three and Europe will have a total of 15 places.
Another Kuwaiti, AFC vice-president Asad Taqi, said he was sure Tuesday's meeting would produce a strong stance.
"We will make a good decision, a wise decision and it will be a strong response," he said.
Reuters
