Hearts to Receive Compensation From FIFA

FIFA will compensate the Spanish organisers and 12 clubs -including Hearts - involved in the World Club Championship, postponed last week until 2003.

General secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen said on Friday Brazilian marketing agency Traffic, responsible for the tournament, owed FIFA $70 million because their contract was still valid despite the postponement.

The championship, Blatter's brainchild, was due to kick off in late July but was postponed until 2003 last Friday because of the problems at FIFA's marketing agent ISL. Sepp Blatter, president of world soccer's ruling body, told a news conference FIFA would pay unspecified lump sums to the clubs to help defray their costs. Organisers will also get a lump sum.

Blatter said that given the uncertainty over ISL, FIFA had not wanted to risk footing a bill of up to $40 million. Several clubs were upset by the late postponement of the championship. FIFA was examining whether to let the same 12 clubs that had qualified for the 2001 event re-qualify in 2003, perhaps by playing the national champions that year.