African football body snubs Asia

The African Football Confederation has severed links with its Asian counterpart, in protest at Asia's part in deciding the venue for the 2006 World Cup.

The four Asian delegates to the world football governing body, FIFA, voted for Germany, which beat South Africa by twelve votes to eleven in the final ballot last month.

The move means that two major annual Afro-Asian football competitions the Nations Cup, and the Club Championship will be discontinued, as will exchanges of referees and officials between the two continents.

The BBC sports correspondent says FIFA was taken by surprise by the African decision, as it was convinced that the controversy over the 2006 vote had been settled.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service