Pass the Oxygen Tank and Start the Games

In the face of highway blockades (by miners), political rumbles over development of a new national constitution, and diplomatic squabbles over a U.S. Army Colonel importing ammo in a co-ed’s suitcase (a.k.a. ‘ammogate’), a good portion of Bolivia’s daily headlines in recent weeks have focused on another story – the move by the world soccer organization (FIFA) to ban international soccer matches in La Paz because of its high altitude. [Yes, I believe that may have been the longest lead sentence in Blog history, but I also think it is grammatically accurate.]

Well folks, pass the oxygen tanks and start the games – FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced Saturday that he was reversing the decision to ban La Paz and said he was acting in direct response to the request by President Evo Morales that FIFA do so. If you have set foot in Bolivia in the last few weeks, or read anything about it in the news, you know that Morales has led an aggressive international campaign against the ban. The high point of that effort (pardon the pun) was when the President staged a game on top of an Andean peak to prove that no one would die in the process. On this issue, ideologues of all stripes dropped their stripes across the country to join with Morales in that demand.

For those unfamiliar with the highs and lows of Bolivia, the airport in La Paz is just 1,000 feet shy of the summit of Mt. Whitney and visitors are treated to free hits from a roaming oxygen tank. The city’s stadium is only a couple of thousand feet below that. Rival teams from low altitudes have complained for years that one team being able to breathe and the other team not is an unfair advantage. The Bolivian response has been, in effect, “Hey, if you don’t like the terrain take it up with the Andes, we didn’t put those mountains there.”

Blatter noted in his announcement that Bolivia’s South American neighbors would also have to approve play in La Paz. I doubt that will be a problem. Several, including Peru and Ecuador have been similarly affected by altitude limits and have backed Bolivia’s demand. Lowlanders such as Argentina and Brazil might find some interesting linkage to other, more urgent issues, if they balk. I can hear the telephone call now.

Lula: Hey Evo, my futbol guys are giving me real hat over this altitude thing. I don’t think we can back you.

Evo: Tell them if they want Bolivian gas they need to suck it up buddy.

Lula: Did you tell Kirshner that too?

Evo: Not yet, he’s on hold on the other line. You know you’re still my favorite.