"FRANKLY, I thought that South American soccer had risen above things like this, but obviously I was mistaken."

Argentinian coach Daniel Passarella is the speaker and he made the above comments after his side's controversial 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat by Bolivia in La Paz last week.

This was not a game like other games. The atmosphere was viciously intimidating for the Argentinians, and by atmosphere we mean more than the now celebrated oxygen shortage problems presented by having to play at 11,000 feet above sea level.

For example, when Argentinian striker Julio Cruz went to pick up the ball in order to take a quick throw in injury time, he was clobbered well and good by a member of the Peruvian team staff.

Cruz did not recover in time to finish the match and Argentina ended the game with just eight players on the pitch, Vivas and Zapata having already been sent off and all three substitutions having also been already made.

The Cruz incident provoked a lengthy delay while Brazilian referee Marinho Sidrack attempted to restore some calm on the sidelines. However, the referee's efforts do not appear to have been totally successful since during this delay a Bolivian policeman put the Argentinian reserve goalkeeper, Roa, out of action with a full frontal blast of paralysing spray gas.

Bolivia's Spanish coach, the former Atletico Madrid player Antonio Lopez, underlined the absurdity of the off the pitch goings on when he later pointed out that the "member of team staff" who had punched Cruz was in fact the team bus driver, adding: "What exactly he was doing there at that moment, I have no idea, these are things that the Federation should look after. I've never seen anything like it in my life, it was absolutely shameful".

If that was what the Bolivian manager had to say about the incidents, then one can only imagine the unparliamentary nature of the post match language used by the Argentinians.

In the short term, the Bolivia Argentina fracas will lead to a FIFA enquiry which, while it will NOT change the final result, could well see Bolivia banned from using La Paz, for a limited number of future qualifiers.

That in itself is no small punishment since the breathing problems presented by La Paz have proved to be Bolivia's strongest weapon, not just in this qualifying round but also in the past. Remember that eventual World Cup winners Brazil were beaten there during qualification for USA 94. It would seem that those Bolivian soccer patriots - bus drivers, firemen or journalists - who combined to create the pressure cooker climate surrounding last week's qualifier probably did their country's footballing cause no good

As far as France 98 qualifiers are concerned, however, only one opponent will benefit, if and when Bolivia are banned from playing in La Paz. That country will be their next group opponents Uruguay, who, like Argentina, are currently in desperate straits, just outside the qualifying zone.

In the medium term, the Bolivia Argentina fracas has changed future given the current state of relations between Bolivian and Argentinian soccer, has opted out of leading his side during the Coppa America (South American Nations Championship) due to be disputed in guess where - Bolivia, June 11th-29th this summer.

Passarella remains Argentina's manager, probably until the France 98 World Cup finals, but has decided that as far as future trips to Bolivia are concerned, discretion is the better part of valour. Accordingly, his two right hand men, Americo Gallego and Alejandro Sabella, will handle the team during the Coppa America.

In the longer term, though, the footballing implications of Argentina's defeat are serious. With nine of their 16 Group games played, Argentina are currently in fifth place on 13 points, seven behind surprise leaders Paraguay, four behind second placed Colombia and on the same points but with an inferior goal difference to third placed Bolivia and fourth placed Ecuador.

Remember that the first four from this single Latin American group qualify for France 98. All of which means that things are currently not looking good for Argentina, who still have away games against the Group leader Paraguay (July 6th) and Chile (September 10th) not to mention hot home clashes with second placed Colombia (November 11th) and a desperate Uruguay (October 12th).

Things might not be looking good for Passarella either. Accused by critics of changing his side too often, of enforcing too rigid a tactical discipline and of alienating foreign based talents such as Real Madrid's Fernando Redondo (he insisted that Redondo cut his long hair, the player refused and was accordingly left out of the national squad) and AS Roma's Abel Balbo. Passarella is certainly up against it. Maybe, he ought to think twice before leaving the handling of his side to his assistants during the Coppa America.

Now, if Argentina were to win in Bolivia this time and without him, what do you think would happen?