GENEVA — FIFA plans to extend a heart-testing program to all players at international tournaments, including junior championships, after four players died from undiagnosed heart problems last season.

The testing began at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

"It is a recommendation to the world of football, to all physicians dealing with high-profile players," said Dr. Jiri Dvorak, FIFA's chief medical officer.

The effort comes after players from clubs in England, Israel, Scotland and Spain died from undiagnosed heart problems last season. A recent health scare included former France national team captain Lilian Thuram, who retired.

Dvorak and colleagues on the FIFA medical committee agreed Monday to begin the legal work needed to make screening compulsory at all FIFA-organized tournaments.

The proposal was welcomed by the nonprofit body promoting World Heart Day on Sept. 28.

"I am very grateful for what FIFA are doing," said Erik Meijboom, spokesman for the Geneva-based World Heart Federation.

"The problem with sports is that these people, specifically the top sports people, die on television," Meijboom said. "Secondly, they are role models. Their responsibility is even larger to take care of themselves."

Meijboom, a cardiology professor, headed a 2004 research project of sudden deaths in athletes that led FIFA to make heart testing mandatory before the World Cup in Germany. That move was in part a response to the death of Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe, who collapsed during a match at the 2003 Confederations Cup in France.