Safety fears spark walk-out

Kogler defended his decision not to travel to Israel

Nine players from Austria's national team have refused to travel to Tel Aviv for their World Cup qualifier against Israel.

They left the squad's training ground on Tuesday insisting the venue for the game - which will determine who finishes in the play-off spot - should have been changed.

The terrorist attacks on American have only served to increase tensions in Israel between government forces and Palestinians.

The Austrian walk-out could have an bearing on Chelsea's Uefa Cup second-round tie against Hapoel in Tel Aviv on 18 October.

Fifa had ruled that the Israel v Austria match would go ahead as scheduled after the Israeli FA promised police protection for the 23-man Austrian squad.

Decision

But Walter Kogler, one of the players not travelling said: "We are not the ones letting the team down.

"It's the committees that decided that we must go to Israel in the current political situation who have let us down."

The other eight players - Roland Kirchler, Robert Ibertsberger, Alfred Hortnagl, Edi Glieder, Guenther Neukirchner, Christian Mayrleb, Martin Hiden and Dietmar Kuehbauer - refused to comment on the decision.

Austrian soccer federation president Beppe Mauhart accused the nine players of showing a lack of professionalism

Fourteen players remained at the camp in Vienna, with coach Otto Baric planning to name replacements.

"For me, the climate in my team always has been key. But we must and we will play," said Baric.

"Of course, we are weaker now. We will do all we can to make that necessary point."

A car bomb exploded in a car park near a Jerusalem shopping district on Monday.