An improper matter that two strangers with camera appeared in
Denmark's technical meeting before their FIFA Women's World Cup
opener against China had nothing to do with any team, said a
Denmark official in Wuhan, Hubei Province on Friday.
Pia Schou Nielsen, media officer of Denmark, told a press
conference that they had told the world soccer governing body FIFA
about the issue.
"FIFA has told us that through investigation, the matter has
nothing to do with any team competing in the ongoing World Cup,"
Nielsen said.
"It also has nothing to do with the hotel we stay," she
added.
But the Denmark team was still not very satisfied as "we still
don't know who they are," she said.
"Anyway, now we must focus on our next match against New Zealand
tomorrow, in which we need a win," she noted.
She asked all journalists at the scene to forget about the
camera issue and focus their questions on Denmark's next two games
against New Zealand and Brazil.
Denmark coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller told Xinhua News Agency on
Thursday at a training site that when they held a technical meeting
at the hotel on Tuesday before their first game against hosts
China, they found two strangers behind a mirror in the room.
"One of them carried a video camera and the other took a camera.
I don't know who they are, maybe journalists or working staff of
the hotel," he added.
"In fact, it is not a serious matter as we don't have any secret
and we just enjoy playing football," he said.
Hosts China edged Denmark 3-2 in their Group D opener in Wuhan
on Wednesday night through substitute Song Xiaoli's brilliant goal
on an incredible long shot in the 88th minute.
Asked to comment on the camera issue, China coach Marika
Domanski-Lyfors said Thursday that she knew the Denmark team very
well and that her squad had no need to do any spying on the
opponents.
Domanski-Lyfors, a Swede, led the Swedish women 's team to the
2003 World Cup runners-up in the United States and took over the
Chinese side in March this year.
China boast head-to-head record of seven wins, three ties and
one loss against Denmark in world arena before Wednesday's clash,
including a 2-2 draw in 1991 World Cup in China and 3-1 win in 1995
edition in Sweden.
The Group D also includes Athens Olympics runners-up Brazil and
underdog-looking New Zealand. Brazil trounced New Zealand 5-0 on
Wednesday before the China-Denmark duel.
(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2007