NFR -FIFA inspection of Chile's Estadio Nacional for 1974 World Cup

[RaySmith]

Heard this in early hours -I'm an insomniac-on the BBC radio World Service.

The Estadio Nacional in Santiago, which was the proposed venue for the 1974 World Cup in West Germany qualifier between Chile and the Soviet Union, was used to hold alleged opponents of the new regime, which had recently brutally seized power in an army coup- and prisoners were routinely tortured and executed there- including famous  singer Victor Jara.

The Soviet Union complained to FIFA about being expected to play their tie there, asking for another  Chilean venue, and FIFA officials visited the stadium and, from an eye witness account, inspected the  pitch, poking the grass, and studiously ignoring, and avoiding all eye contact with the prisoners who were in full view, some of whom were shouting out, then walked off.

The SU demanded to play at a different  Chilean stadium, but were told they had to play at the Estadio Nacional. The SU team refused  to play, and were eliminated from the tournament, and Chile went through to the 1974 World Cup in West Germany, where they were eliminated in the first round.