World football body FIFA has ruled that an Asian ban on North Korean goalkeeper Han Hye-yong should have worldwide effect. Han’s one-year ban, imposed by the Asian Football Confederation after she kicked Italian referee Anna de Toni at the Women’s Asian Cup semi-final in July, will cover all matches including friendlies. The AFC hit Han with the ban last month and also fined her US$4,500 for violent conduct. Han’s teammates Sun Son-kyong and Sun Song-jung were also banned by the AFC for four months each from representing North Korea in all official and friendly matches at an Asian level, and fined US$3,000 each. China beat North Korea 1-0 in that semi-final and went on to beat Australia in the final.