Europe's big clubs threaten world club championship boycott

Europe's big football clubs are threatening to boycott the 2005 world club championship, Die Welt reported.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, vice-president of the G14 group of Europe's most powerful clubs, said the sport's world governing body FIFA had dragged its feet over certain issues, and therefore G14 teams would not play in the world championship.

Rummenigge said: "As solutions have not been found concerning compensation for clubs when players are on international duty, and also club versus country problems with the international calendar, FIFA will have to do without G14 clubs at the world club championships."

Criticising FIFA president Sepp Blatter, Rummenigge added: "He (Blatter) doesn't care about clubs. He only wants to fill up his coffers and we're fed up with it."