QUITO, May 30 (Xinhua) -- The Andean Community of Nations (CAN) on Wednesday publicly rejected the decision by soccer governing body the International Association of Football Associations (FIFA)to ban international games higher than 2,500 meters above sea level.

    CAN Secretary General Freddy Elhers, in Bolivia's administrative capital, La Paz, told a Quito broadcaster he considered the decision to display "a shameful attitude (as well as being) surprising, discriminatory and lacking a technical basis".

    The CAN is asking for governments and foreign ministries from the region to show solidarity and make public statements on the topic.

    He also suggested following Bolivia's example, where authorities have already collected a million signatures in defense of high-altitude football.

    Andean foreign ministers have already planned a meeting at the sidelines of the Organization of American States summit in Panama to plan additional measures on the FIFA issue.