By DPA
La Paz : Bolivian President Evo Morales played football at an altitude of 6,000 metres to protest FIFA rules banning matches above 2,500 metres.
The new rules announced by football's international governing body in May caused outrage across the soccer-crazy mountainous South American nations and in Bolivia the ban would stop the game in a number of cities. FIFA President Joseph Blatter cited medical reasons for the rule.
Morales scored the only goal of the game on Sajama, the highest mountain of the South American country, the state news agency ABI reported Wednesday. The other players were experienced alpinists.
Presidential spokesman Alex Contreras said the game proved that football could be played at 6,000 metres.
The change eliminates play in the Bolivian cities of Cochabamba (2,570-metres above sea level), Sucre (2,860 metres), La Paz (3,665 metres), Oruro (3,966 metres) and Potosi (4,040 metres). Other affected cities include Cusco, Peru (3,416 metres); Ecuador's capital, Quito (2,850 metres); and Colombia's capital, Bogota (2,640 metres).