The Asian Football Confederation has been embarrassed by revelations its official video history of the Asian Cup omits any mention of Israel, a former host and winner of the tournament.
A three-minute video posted on the AFC’s official website stirringly recounts the history of the cup, beginning with South Korea’s 1956 victory, up to Japan’s 1-0 defeat of Australia in the 2011 final in Qatar.
But one tournament is conspicuously missing. “September 1956 saw Korea Republic crowned the inaugural champions,” the video goes. “The Koreans went on to defend their title in 1960 on home soil. The power in Asian football then shifted to west Asia, the Islamic Republic of Iran capturing the title in 1968.”
Israel hosted and won the Asian Cup in 1964, the only piece of silverware in the country’s football cabinet, during a golden age in which it finished runner-up in the previous two tournaments and third in 1968 (albeit against much weaker competition than today – only six other countries entered in 1964).
Source: The Guardian
