FIFA to keep 'Handshake for Peace' at U-20 World Cup

FIFA will continue to use the 'Handshake for Peace' at the under-20 World Cup in New Zealand despite the Nobel Peace Center ending its cooperation with soccer's governing body.

Team captains have shaken hands before and after games at the age-group tournament, which sees Brazil playing Senegal and Serbia facing Mali in Wednesday's semi-finals.

"We have not received any communication from the Nobel Peace Center and so where we stand at the moment we will continue to do so (the handshake) for the remainder of the games," said Monika Huser, FIFA's media and communications manager for the tournament. "If anything changes we will inform you."

Huser said teams at the women's World Cup in Canada would also continue to perform the handshake and FIFA staff in New Zealand were in 'constant contact' with head office in Zurich and their colleagues in Canada.

The Nobel Peace Center, which had been behind the initiative that had been enthusiastically promoted by FIFA President Sepp Blatter over the past three years, ended their co-operation with the scandal-plagued FIFA on Monday.

The Oslo-based Peace Center, however, added that their agreement would not end immediately.

Huser would not comment on whether FIFA, which is under investigation by Swiss and U.S. authorities for bribery and corruption, had an opinion on the move by the Center.

Blatter, who resigned earlier this month just days after being re-elected for his fifth term because of the developing scandal, was not expected to visit New Zealand for the end of the tournament.