A FIFA medical officer has rejected media reports that Iran had fielded men in a women’s football tournament.  After Iran triumphed at the inaugural Asian Women’s Futsal Championship in Malaysia, reports emerged that eight of the Iranian team were male.

In violation of FIFA rules, the players either had yet to complete a sex change or had suffered from sexual development disorders, Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported, citing Iranian sources. A report by an Iranian state television website said the women players had the physical strength of men and some had “male inclinations“.

An official for FIFA rejected the claims, though she indicated some players had previously suffered medical conditions that affected their appearance. “There are no gender concerns for women’s futsal and football teams,“ Dr Zohreh Haratian, the governing body’s appointee in Iran is reported to have said. “No scientific proof exists on these claims,“ she said, noting that all the players had been checked.

The allegations are not new, said Haratian, also the Head of Iran’s Football Medical Assessment and Rehabilitation Center. “In the past, a few of our female football players were accused of being bisexual,“ she continued, adding that in 2010, one player suffering “an inborn disease of adrenal glands“ and looked liked a man but was actually a woman.

“When FIFA understood that their problem was inborn, it rejected the claims and issued permits for them to play in matches.“

FIFA tribunal to decide Blatter’s fate

Faces 90-day suspension

The ethics watchdog of scandal-tainted FIFA was locked in talks  to decide the fate of world football president Sepp Blatter as attacks on the veteran sports baron mounted. The ethics committee tribunal was also to decide whether to take action against UEFA leader Michael Platini and former FIFA vice president Chung Mong-Joon, both candidates to take over from Blatter.

As the drama intensified, British media reported that the ethics committee had recommended a provisional suspension of 90 days for Blatter.

But a close associate of the besieged FIFA chief dismissed the claims. “I was with president Blatter 30 minutes ago and no information of this kind was communicated to us,” said the associate, while a spokesman for the committee tribunal refused to comment.

DUTCH ON VERGE OF MISSING OUT ON EURO 2016 Paris

Qualifying for the largest-ever European Championship was supposed to be easy. With only two games to play, the Netherlands is in danger of missing out, and Sweden striker Ibrahimovic and his teammates are also close to elimination. Four teams _ Iceland, the Czech Republic, England and Austria _ have already qualified to join host France, with 19 of the 24 places still up for grabs.