Sports Briefs

FOOTBALL

Men’s national team will face Morocco in friendly match

Korea’s football governing body confirmed Friday that the men’s national team will play Morocco in an international friendly this month.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Korea will take on Morocco at Tissot Arena in Biel, Switzerland, on Oct. 10. It will be Korea’s second friendly after clinching a berth at the 2018 FIFA World Cup earlier this month. The Taeguk Warriors are first set to meet the World Cup hosts Russia in Moscow on Oct. 7.

The KFA originally planned a friendly with Tunisia for Oct. 10, but the African side pulled out of its commitment Sept. 22 citing “internal reasons.”

In Tunisia’s stead, the KFA has been working with Morocco to launch a friendly to put the finishing touches to their World Cup preparations.

Korea, currently 51st in the latest FIFA rankings, has played 56th-ranked Morocco once. In March 1996, the two sides played to a 2-2 draw.

Morocco has yet to secure their spot at the 2018 World Cup. They’re currently second in Group B in the third round of the African World Cup qualifying tournament with six points, just one point behind group leader Ivory Coast. In Africa, only the group winners earn a World Cup berth.

Korea’s national football team head coach Shin Tae-yong announced his roster for the upcoming friendlies Monday. His 23-man squad is made up entirely of overseas-based players and includes Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur and Ki Sung-yueng of Swansea City.

OLYMPICS

PyeongChang organizers promise athletes good food

Organizers for the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics said Monday that they will provide the highest quality food materials for the athletes from all over the world.

The alpine city of PyeongChang in Gangwon Province will play host to the quadrennial competition that runs from Feb. 9-25, 2018. It is the first Winter Games held in Korea.

The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (NAQS), the Gangwon provincial government and local Olympics organizers said they signed an agreement to ensure that the best and safest materials are used in the preparation of food for competitors and sports officials who will be staying at the athletes’ village.

Under the pact, the NAQS and provincial authorities will be charged with maintaining the steady supply of high-quality local food materials.

The quality management service, in particular, will thoroughly check all farms and food providers that will supply produces for the games for signs of residual pesticides, heavy metals and other harmful materials.

“The close inspections will ensure that no harmful food materials reach athletes,” a NAQS official said.

He said all food materials will be double-checked for place of origin and whether or not they are registered goods that can be tracked.

Being able to trace the origin, packaging process and delivery enhances better quality control and facilitates recalls if a problem is detected.

Yonhap