Yugoslav football officials yesterday welcomed UEFA's decision to allow them to remain in the European Championship, calling it a victory for sport over politics.

Branko Bulatovic, general secretary of the Yugoslav Football Federation, described it as a decision which would greatly encourage his fellow countrymen.

"It is important that we stay in the Euro 2000 competition for we were denied international football for four years for reasons of politics," he said.

"In that time, we were prevented from playing in the European finals in 1992, the World Cup in America in 1994, and again in the European championship in 1996.

"Now we again have a chance of competing for the European title and that is very important to everybody, not just the players, but our supporters too."

Bulatovic said that their foreign-based players who had threatened to boycott games in all NATO countries because of the NATO air strikes, were looking forward to playing in Dublin.

"It's a big game for us and since the players are living outside the country, travel will not be a problem - they will go directly to Dublin themselves. All our under-21 players are living in Yugoslavia of course, and it is planned that we will travel to Ireland from Budapest."

Bulatovic dismissed Ireland's misgivings over UEFA's decision to stage their home game against Malta at a neutral venue. "I do not see the wisdom of that," he said. "Playing in Belgrade, we might have scored many goals against Malta - it will not be so easy in another country. And because the group winners could yet be decided by the scoring averages, surely that is to Ireland's advantage.

"I expect that our home games against Croatia and Macedonia will be played in Belgrade. It is not possible that the war here will last until the autumn."