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- Administrator in Soccer
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- Blatter pushes ahead with foreign-limit plan 05/27/08, Sepp Blatter is vowing to take his proposal to restrict foreign players in domestic leagues to the next level after getting the backing of the European confederation.
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The plan aims to force soccer clubs by 2012 to start a match with at least six home players, and limit the number of foreigners to five.
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"This will be more than just further talks and investigations," the FIFA president said Tuesday at a news conference.
A FIFA spokesman said the objectives of Blatter's plan had been agreed unanimously by the FIFA executive committee, including UEFA president Michael Platini.
Blatter said he would be asking the congress, featuring representatives of FIFA's 208 member federations, to give the FIFA president a mandate to impose the same rules outside of Europe if required.
Blatter even wants other international sports federations to join the cause.
"The Congress shall request the FIFA and UEFA presidents together with the world of sport -- including the IOC -- to explore all possible means within the limits of law to implement this rule," he said.
The proposal targets some of Europe's biggest clubs and aims to restore "national identity" to the teams while reducing the drain of players from other continents.