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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...arly-exit.html

North Korea probed over claims World Cup flops were tortured after early exit from tournament

By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 12:01 PM on 11th August 2010

Fifa has launched an investigation into allegations that the North Korean World Cup coach and players were punished by the government after they lost all three of their games in the tournament in South Africa.

Last month, Radio Free Asia said that the Korean squad, apart from two foreign-based players, were subjected to 'harsh ideological criticism' after their team conceded the most goals of all 32 at the tournament.

Their coach Kim Jong-hun was also publicly humiliated and sentenced to hard labour for their performance.

Fifa's president said a letter had been sent to North Korea's footballing body.
Sepp Blatter said: 'We sent a letter to the football federation to tell us about their election of a new president and to find out if the allegations made by the media that the coach and some players were condemned and punished are true.

'We are doing this as a first step and we will see how they answer.'

After starting only their second World Cup brightly with a 2-1 defeat to five-times champions Brazil, North Korea were then thrashed 7-0 by Portugal and easily beaten 3-0 by Ivory Coast.

Mr Blatter said the investigation was launched after Fifa executive committee member Chung Mong-joon, from South Korea, provided new information on the issue.

Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed Bin Hamman, who recently travelled to the secretive communist nation, said he was hopeful the investigation would prove conclusive.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...#ixzz0wReTkTkd