FIFA Head Considers Banning National Anthems in the Stadium

Blatter told a Swiss magazine, the Schweizer Illustrierte, that he had been shocked by the jeering and whistling during the playing of national anthems at both games in the two-leg World Cup playoff between Turkey and Switzerland.

He said Turkish fans were angered during the first match in Berne when Swiss fans jeered during the playing of the Turkish anthem. At the second game in Istanbul, Turkish fans returned the favor, jeering during the Swiss national song.

"That was so disrespectful and a slur on a nation's pride," he said. "It makes me wonder if it makes any sense continuing to play national anthems."

At the end of the match in Istanbul, a fight broke out between the two sides in the tunnel leading to the dressing rooms.

"When emotions and passions become tied together with excessive nationalism, then it gets explosive," he was quoted by the magazine.

Blatter added that he also thought neutral venues could be better suited to high-profile, international playoff games.

"We could also insist that the teams shake hands after the match," he said. "We cannot have the situation where the winning team is unable to celebrate but must instead sprint off the pitch like thieves."

Best way to counter violence?

FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren told Reuters, however, that Blatter's comments were personal suggestions and that no plans were in place at present to discontinue the playing of national anthems.

France's sports minister Jean-Francois Lamour has said he is skeptical of the idea of banning the anthems.

"It's a strange way of solving violence problems in stadiums," he told reporters. "People don't become violent because they sing or listen to national anthems."

He said he thought the best way to bring down the level of violence is to keep soccer hooligans out of stadiums.

Turkish apology

Turkish football federation president Levent Bicacki on Wednesday apologized to his Swiss counterpart Ralph Zloczower for fighting that followed the match between Switzerland in Istanbul.

The meeting took place in a hotel in the western city of Berne at the request of Bicacki, and Zloczower noted the Turkish football bosses excuses.

World soccer governing body FIFA have opened an inquiry into the match, which Turkey won 4-2, but nonetheless failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup on the away goals rule, having lost the first leg 2-0 in Berne.

FIFA is examining the incidents and Blatter has said the organization will come down hard on anyone found guilty of involvement in the disturbances.