Paris, June 28: FIFA officials expressed their shock and sadness at the death of Marc-Vivien Foe and said the Confederation Cup tournament will continue with Cameroon playing France in Sunday's (June 29) final. Foe collapsed and died in the semi-final against Colombia on Thursday (June 26), won 1-0 by Cameroon. Foe, 28, played 65 games for Cameroon and formerly played for West Ham United and RC Lens. The powerful midfielder missed the 1998 World Cup through injury, but played in all three of Cameroons games in last years tournament, having done the same in 1994. He produced impressive form for Manchester City in the season just finished, but the club decided against paying Lyon seven million pounds ($11.65 million) to take him to England on a permanent basis. Chuck Blazer, chairman of the Confederations Cup organising committee, stressed that Foe's death was a real shock for everyone and hard to digest.


Claude Simonet, President of the French Football Federation paid a warm tribute to Foe and said: "his passing away saddens us. I think that it humbles us, shows us that the life of men is hard but I send my deepest condolences to his wife, his children and his family.


An autopsy on Foe has shown nothing abnormal but he did not die of a stroke. First analysis showed nothing abnormal but we rule out any stroke. Toxicological tests, which will take longer, will be carried out, said Xavier Richaud, public prosecutor for the Lyon region.


Stunned Cameroon players arrived at Lyon station on Friday (June 27) to train ahead of the Confederations Cup final against France despite the death of their comrad Marc-Vivien Foe.


The Cameroon players have decided to dedicate the Confederations Cup final to their teammate. All the players will wear Foe's name on their jersey during the final.


FIFA president Sepp Blatter who travelled from Lyon to Paris with the Cameroonian team said upon arrival that he gave the Cameroon team a message of hope.


Bureau Report