North Korea has accused South Korea of poisoning its football players with an "adulterated foodstuff" ahead of last week's World Cup qualifier match. North Korea coach Kim Jong Hun made the allegation after his team lost 1-0 to South Korea on 1 April. Seoul has denied the claim.| What did the SKors do, feed them Cheetos? |
Coach Kim had asked for the match to be delayed and moved to a neutral venue, claiming three of his players had food poisoning, but FIFA rejected the request.
The Korea Football Association, the South's football federation, said a sports doctor had examined the North Korean players and found no serious problem.
The two teams have played each other a number of times in the past year, during the qualification stages for the 2010 World Cup. But the worsening diplomatic relations between the two countries appears to have translated onto the football pitch.
North Korea's home matches have had to be played on neutral ground in Shanghai, because the North refuses to allow the playing of the South's national anthem or the waving of its flags.