Lebanon withdraw from Asian Cup

The Lebanese football team has pulled out of the qualifying rounds of the 2007 Asian Cup because of the current crisis in the country.

The head of the Lebanon Football Association, Rahif Alameh, said the fighting had forced several players to leave their homes to evade the war.

The Asian Football Confederation said its board would convene an emergency meeting to discuss the matter.

The absence of Lebanon leaves one of the qualifying groups a team short.

The top two football teams from each of the six qualifying groups will advance to the finals next year.

From : BBC