HANOI, Sept. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Vietnam should open soccer lottery to get more funds for the country's soccer and partially control illegal betting, said a senior official of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

    AFC General Secretary Peter Velappan, who is on a working visitto the country, made the suggestion when being received by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan on Wednesday, according to local media Thursday.

    Vietnam's Sports and Physical Culture Committee should shoulderthe responsibility for managing the soccer lottery field after getting the government's approval, Velappan said, adding that someAsian countries and regions such as Singapore and Hong Kong of China have already conducted soccer lottery.

    Illegal soccer betting, which is becoming fairly common in Vietnam, especially in its urban areas, has driven many local bookies and bettors crazy about major international and domestic soccer tournaments, especially European matches.

    During the Euro 2004, police in several Vietnamese localities, mainly the capital of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, arrested dozens of local bookies and bettors, and confiscated tens of thousands ofUS dollars.

    For his part, Khoan thanked the AFC for choosing Vietnam as oneof eight countries and regions to benefit from its Vision Asia plan which aims to raise the standards of Asian soccer at all levels by focusing on the 11 fields, namely national associations,marketing, grassroots, coach education, referees, sports medicine,men's competitions, women's competitions, futsal (indoor soccer), media and fans.

    He also hoped that the AFC will keep on helping Vietnam improveits soccer, especially by offering intensive training for managerial cadres and coaches. Enditem