Oceania soccer has reacted with outrage after FIFA voted to strip the confederation of a full place in the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
World soccer's governing body announced yesterday that it had reversed its December decision which had allowed for the confederation made up of Australia, New Zealand and various Pacific island states to have a direct place in the finals instead of going through a play-off.
"In my view, the decision is a disgrace and I think it is politically driven to accommodate the powerful South Americans," Oceania Confederation president Basil Scarsella told Australian Associated Press.
"It's unethical, it's immoral, call it what you like.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter had pointed to Oceania representative New Zealand's recent poor performance at the Confederations Cup in France this month and the administrative problems of Soccer Australia (SA) as reasons for the move but Scarsella and New Zealand Soccer chief executive Bill MacGowan dismissed these as not valid.
"These are excuses more than reasons in my mind. The executive committee had overwhelmingly supported them in the past and now they've gone 180 degrees," Scarsella said.
Australia have only qualified once for the World Cup, in 1974, and New Zealand progressed eight years later.
Since then the Socceroos have suffered several near misses in World Cup qualifiers including play-off losses to Scotland, Argentina, Iran and Uruguay.
MacGowan said: "It's an absolutely unbelievable decision which came from nowhere. This is just politics of the highest level.
"If you look at the make-up of the FIFA executive, UEFA have 12 votes and Oceania have one. To get a reversal of this decision will never happen.
MacGowan and Scarsella said the decision would be a huge blow for Oceania soccer.
"Clearly it's a significant setback for soccer in this region...and for the credibility of FIFA," Scarsella said on Australia television.
Australia coach Frank Farina questioned the future of the Oceania confederation.
"It's a disgrace. This is a vote for the most powerful, not for the good of the game," Farina told reporters.
"What's the point of having an Oceania confederation? They've got no respect for the region.
Australia's Federal sports minister Rod Kemp said SA was partly to blame for FIFA's decision.
"Clearly this stresses once again the need for Soccer Australia to get its act together," Kemp said.
SA delayed a decision on May 3 on a government report's recommendation that its board resign. SA chairman Remo Nogarotto and two other board members quit shortly after.