Cambodia Bans Foreign Players from Cup Competition for being “Too Good”

By: Bob | February 2nd, 2007

While some in Europe think the best solution for the influx of foreign football players is to go with a 6+5 rule, Cambodian football officials have taken an entirely different approach. The Cambodian Football Federation has announced that foreign players simply won’t be allowed to play in the country’s Hun Sen Cup competition.

Said Sao Sokha, chairman of the Cambodian Football Federation:

“They’re taller, stronger and more experienced, so it’s unfair if we let them play. They’re too good compared with Cambodian players.”

He then goes on to incongruently explain that this discrimination isn’t really discrimination.

“We are not discriminating against foreigners, but the prime minister wants to give our Khmer players a chance to win and to gain some national pride.”

This concept could really work well in other countries. Imagine if Serie A decided to ban Inter Milan because they are too good. Scotland could ban Celtic because they are too good. France could ban Lyon because they are too good….

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Category: Asia

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Susan

I think that the chairman of the Cambodian Federation is an idiot and has the view of the Khmer rouge idealist view. Lets get serious, for starters in order for the Cambodian soccer team to be competitve and gain more experience they must be able to play along side the best of the best teams in the world.
The reason why Australia is part of the Asian federation is becasue they want to play against top international teams as way to improve their soccer skills.
There is no national pride for players who think that their the best in the world, until they play the best of the best.