Bolivian President Evo Morales scores goal during alternative summit soccer match

Enlarge Photo Bolivian President Evo Morales scores goal during alternative summit soccer match

Fri, May 16 08:35 AM

LIMA, Peru (AP) _ Bolivian President Evo Morales scored a goal in a soccer match Thursday, then slammed FIFA for imposing "soccer apartheid" on teams that play at high altitudes. Shortly after arriving in Lima on Thursday afternoon, Morales threw on Bolivia's green soccer jersey and headed to the alternative "People's Summit," convened in Lima during a reunion of Latin American and European heads of state on Friday.

Morales scored a goal to lead a squad of Bolivian expatriates to a 2-2 tie against members of Peru's 1970 World Cup team. "Evo! Amigo! The people are with you!" the colorful crowd shouted at the match, which ran until dusk.

In a press conference following the game, Morales said FIFA's ban on international games at stadiums 9,000 feet above sea level amounted to "discrimination" of teams and communities living at such heights. The Bolivian leader said he agreed to play in the game out of solidarity for teams that play at altitude and for the social, labor and Indian groups that convened the alternative summit.

The Bolivian capital of La Paz sits at 11,800 feet in the Andes.

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