AP answers your questions on the news, from the nationality of soccer players to E85 fuel

Ask AP: Soccer players and nationality, E85 fuel

You see cars labeled “flex-fuel” all over American roads. So where are all the E85 fueling stations?

That’s one of the questions in this edition of “Ask AP,” a weekly Q&A column where AP journalists respond to readers’ questions about the news.

Does FIFA require that all players representing a national soccer team be indigenous to that nation? In other words, are all the players on the U.S. team natives of America? The Ghana team members natives of Ghana? And so on?

Tom Jeffs

Edison, N.J.

While most players do represent the country where they were born, some choose to play for another country. Often it’s because of family ties, or because they’ve spent most of their lives there. Former U.S. midfielder Tab Ramos, for example, was born in Uruguay but his family moved to the United States when he was 11.

Under FIFA rules, a player with dual nationalities is free to switch countries at any age, as long as he hasn’t appeared in an official game — think World Cup or European championship — with a senior national team. Once you do make an appearance, you’re locked into playing for that country for the rest of your career.

Nancy Armour

AP National Writer

Chicago

I bought a new car in ‘08 with an E85 option, and more than two years later, I still have not found the fuel in Florida. I see a lot of cars marked as flex-fuel — will this fuel ever become available, or is this just a way to sell cars?

Dan Pelland

Daytona Beach, Fla.

According to Growth Energy, a group that promotes ethanol use, there are more than 2,000 E85 fueling stations in the U.S. Those stations, however, are concentrated in the Midwest, where corn growers and ethanol producers have pushed for them. Minnesota has the most pumps, with more than 350.

There are a few ethanol stations near Daytona Beach, Fla., but they’re government-owned and not for public use. The closest public station isn’t all that close — it’s in Jacksonville, according to Growth Energy’s map, which can be found at www.e85fuel.com.

In the last year, low gas prices have caused ethanol to lose its cost advantage, pushing down demand for the fuel. The U.S. ethanol industry also has been hurt by high corn prices and the credit crunch. Major producers such as South Dakota-based VeraSun Energy Corp. went bankrupt.

But experts predict ethanol use will increase once the economic downturn ends and gas prices rise. U.S. automakers also have pledged to make half their vehicles flex-fuel-capable by 2012 if enough fueling stations sell E85. There are already more than 8 million flex-fuel vehicles on the road.

Dee-Ann Durbin

AP Auto Writer

Detroit

Have questions of your own? Send them to newsquestions(at)ap.org.