A Chinese factory has halted production of 2010 World Cup mascot toys after an investigation into alleged sweatshop conditions, the merchandise company for FIFA said. According to a Mail & Guardian report, Global Brands Group, master licensee for all 2010 World Cup merchandise, withdrew manufacturing approval after an audit of the factory showed standards had been flouted. ’The audit identified a number of non-conformances against Global Brands CSR (corporate social responsibility) policy,’ said the company.
A UN human rights investigator has criticised FIFA for failing to ensure that cities staging the 2010 World Cup explicitly commit to protecting housing rights. Raquel Rolnik says football’s world governing body hasn’t responded to repeated demands to make housing rights a key part of the bidding process for hosting the event. Rolnik said that she has received reports over 20 000 residents from a makeshift settlement near Cape Town were moved to impoverished areas at the edge of the city.
FIFA has warned that as the euphoria of hosting the 2010 World Cup reaches a crescendo, so are the chances of becoming a victim in a plethora of scams.
The Sunday World reports that FIFA and the 2010 World Cup’s LOC say they have been alerted to a growing number of e-mails and scams claiming to be associated or linked to them. FIFA has issued a strong warning to businesses, soccer fans, potential tourists and the public to be careful when dealing with e-mails or news of surprise winnings delivered via SMSes.
The International FA Board have given the thumbs down to the introduction of goal-line technology, world soccer governing body FIFA confirmed. Sports234 reports that the decision was taken after a presentation of experiments during which cameras were placed on the goal posts and electronic chips inserted in the ball to determine if it had crossed the goal line. A unanimous decision was not reached by Board members on the technology, but according to a source close to the dossier, a majority came out in principle against its introduction.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has described the upcoming 2010 World Cup as a ’love story’ that was becoming a reality, notes a report on the allAfrica.com site. ’The FIFA Soccer World Cup in Africa is a love story and I am happy that this love story is coming together and is becoming a real wedding party. Africans have waited for a very long time; the dream is now a reality,’ he said. ’The African population believes in this world cup and South Africa has come a long way, a long way paved with trust, confidence and patience. And I have trust and confidence that South Africa will give something back to the rest of Africa.’
Let’s go now, let’s have this World Cup – Blatter – 02/03/2010
FIFA has brushed aside lingering doubts about South Africa’s readiness for the 2010 World Cup, as cities across the nation staged dance parties and celebrations to launch the 100-day countdown. Sports24 reports that FIFA president Sepp Blatter insisted the country was ready to host Africa’s first World Cup, which kicks off June 11, and said he was bothered by naysayers who worry South Africa won’t pull it off. ’It’s not so much that there’s pessimism, but that it’s always being thrown into doubt. It’s bad, because when there’s doubt, there’s no confidence. For me and FIFA, that bothers us sometimes’ Blatter told a news conference in Durban’s new stadium. ’There is no doubt, no doubt,’ he said. ’Let’s go now, let’s have this World Cup, and then we will discuss end of July.’
’There is nothing we can do against it’ - 01/03/2010
Does FIFA approve of Cape Town’s crackdown on sex workers ahead of the soccer World Cup? The Sunday Independent reports that the organisation’s general secretary Jerome Valcke did not seem too sure at a media briefing in the city. ’What can I answer?’ he said in response to a reporter’s question. ’Whatever I’m saying, I will say something wrong.’
The city’s metro police, at the urging of mayoral committee member for safety JP Smith, have for several months been regularly rounding up streetwalkers and raiding brothels. Valcke said however that this was not at FIFA’s request.
Inspectors happy with stadia progress – 01/03/2010
FIFA and South African football authorities spent the weekend, along with a strong media contingent, touring some of the stadiums to be used for the 2010 World Cup, and declared themselves satisfied, notes a People’s Daily Online report. After inspecting the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg, North West Province, and the Peter Mokaba stadium near Polokwane in Limpopo province, delegates said that they believed the venues were world-class and South Africa was ready to host the 2010 World Cup.
Blatter in SA for 100-day celebrations - 27/02/2010
FIFA president Sepp Blatter will touch down in South Africa to join the country in the 2010 World Cup’s 100 days countdown celebrations in Durban. As part of the celebrations Bafana Bafana will play an international friendly against Namibia at the new Moses Mabhida Stadium on 3 March. The Sowetan reports that 2010 organising committee convener Issa Hayatou said they were impressed by South Africa’s preparations for the tournament.
FIFA will increase the number of Category 4 tickets for the 2010 World Cup, says General-Secretary Jerome Valcke. ’These are specially-priced tickets for South African residents selling at R140,’ he said at a workshop held for the 32 teams participating in the upcoming tourney in June. He said 11% of stadium capacity was currently made up of Category 4 tickets and FIFA hoped to increase this to 20 percent for most matches. ’We will do our best to get up to 20 percent for most of the matches but we will not discount any ticket prices,’ he said, adding that free tickets will not be given away.
FIFA has announced the base camps of the 32 World Cup finalists. Although most teams play just one match in the Gauteng province, many of the teams opted to base themselves near Johannesburg and Pretoria. Sport24 reports that the defending champions Italy chose the Leriba Lodge in Centurion outside Pretoria, where they will be virtual neighbours of the American side, who will be based in the Irene Country Lodge. Germany, who will be staying in the Velmore Hotel have also opted for Pretoria as a base, as have Diego Maradona’s Argentina, Slovakia, North Korea, New Zealand and Ghana, who originally said they were going to stay in Nelspruit.
FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke has lashed out at journalists following reports that ticket prices had been cut. The Times reports that Valcke said the football federation had made a pact with President Jacob Zuma that World Cup venues would be filled but this would not be achieved by slashing ticket prices. ’We will not, at any point, offer free tickets for the World Cup,’ said Valcke. ’The amount of money FIFA will make (from the event) will be enough to cover the (organising committee’s) budget and we will not cut ticket prices to achieve that.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke says South Africa isn’t ready yet to host the 2010 World Cup, and he still doesn’t know where all the teams will be based during the tournament, notes a Sports24 report. With barely three months until the event starts, organisers still face problems with Soccer City, the incomplete Johannesburg venue for the opening match and final and filling stadiums.
About 320 footballers will be tested for doping before the 2010 World Cup kicks off in June. As of March 22, FIFA’s medical team will conduct out-of-competition doping tests (of both blood and urine samples) on all the 32 participating nations. Without notice, eight players from a team will be randomly selected during their national team’s friendly matches or training camps. The Mail & Guardian reports that tests will also be conducted in training camps between April 10 and June 10. This was revealed by Jiri Dvorak, FIFA’s chief medical officer, who was speaking on Monday at the third international football medicine conference, held in Sun City.
The fight against Malaria, TB and HIV – 21/02/2010
The 2010 World Cup will present a unique platform to mount the fight against malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and HIV in Africa. The pledge was made by Michael D’Hooghe, chairman of the FIFA Medical Committee at the third International Football Medicine Conference in Rustenburg. ’We must use this 2010 World Cup to fight the big three in Africa. We must fight against malaria, TB and HIV, he said.
PE frustrated about 2010 ticket sales – 21/02/2010
Frustrated Port Elizabeth tourism officials say FIFA’s secrecy surrounding ticket sales for the 2010 World Cup matches in the city is adversely affecting plans for the event. Sunday World reports that the best news so far from FIFA was that the England versus Slovenia game on June 23 was sold out, according to Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT) official Erenel Louw. ’However, even judging from this figure it is still impossible to calculate the total number of tourists expected here. You could calculate an average of how many friends or family are expected to come along with each ticket-holder’, he said.
Early-bird South African fans who rushed to secure the best seats for the World Cup matches have just had their Category 2 and 3 tickets devalued by R700.
But the good news for everyone else is that, with 110 days to go before the football spectacular kicks off, Fifa has slashed the price of at least 30 percent of the 3 million Category 2 and 3 tickets, which cost up to R840. According to a report on the IOL site, the tickets will now be sold to South Africans for only R140 - a fraction of the original price.
2010 friendly proceeds donated to Haiti – 18/02/2010
Part of the proceeds from 2010 World Cup warm-up matches will be donated to quake stricken Haiti. FIFA said in a statement that it would donate its two percent levy on the friendly games between March 1 and June 11, and appealed to the 32 2010 World Cup teams to match the donation. The governing body had announced some $3.25m in funding for Haiti’s beleaguered footballing community after the devastating quake there last month.
Businesses and individuals caught using FIFA’s trademarks illegally face harsh penalties, including having to make substantial royalty payments and possible jail time. The football governing body is investigating more than 50 cases linked to the forthcoming 2010 World Cup. Owen Dean, from Spoor and Fisher, the legal firm that handles FIFA’s trademark affairs, said those who broke the rules would be shown no mercy.
FIFA has reassured the South African and international media that the purpose of its terms and conditions for accreditation for reporting on the 2010 World Cup ’is not, and has never been, to restrict press freedom’. In a statement issued on 1 February 2010, FIFA said: ’The purpose of the media accreditation terms and conditions is to regulate the behaviour of people entering the 2010 World Cup venues, first and foremost to ensure the safety of everyone in those venues’.
FIFA has once again successfully stopped another trader from use of its 2010 World Cup official marks, according to Likonelo Magagula. This second successful attack was against Metcash Trading (Pty) Ltd for its use of the words 2010 with depictions of the South African Flag and of soccer imagery in relation to its lollipops, notes a Marketing Web report. The first victory was against Eastwoods Tavern for its use of the words ’World Cup 2010’ on its signage.
FIFA president Joseph Blatter has lashed out at critics of South Africa’s ability to host the 2010 World Cup in the wake of the terror attack on the Togo football team at last month’s Africa Cup of Nations in neighbouring Angola, notes a Sports24 report. ’Its a nonsense to combine what has happened in Angola with a terrorist attack and link it to the South Africa World Cup,’ said the head of football’s ruling body. ’11 million tourists travel every year to South Africa,’ Blatter added. ’Last week an ATP tournament was played in Johannesburg, and they didn’t die.’
FIFA President, Joseph Blatter has compiled a video message regarding the 20 years since the release of Nelson Mandela from prison. In his message, Blatter spoke about celebrating a special day in the history of South Africa saying there was no greater symbol of Africa’s humanity than Mandela and what he stands for. Blatter praised Mandela for giving more than his share to the country and continent; dedicating his life to the endorsement of human rights and democracy; and leading the fight for freedom for all mankind. ’In this same spirit your young nation will deliver a great tournament with determination and dignity this year,’ said Blatter.
FIFA has reasserted a commitment to media freedom, but is not backing down on contentious conditions for accreditation of journalists for the 2010 World Cup, notes a report in The Citizen. ’FIFA would like to make it clear that it does respect the freedom of the press,’ said the world soccer body said in a statement. ’Editorial independence in the coverage of the FIFA World Cup is guaranteed.’ It said this principle was ’enshrined’ in the second paragraph of the accreditation conditions, which stated that nothing in them was meant to restrict editorial independence.
FIFA on the lookout for rogue Web sites – 01/02/2010
FIFA expects more Web sites that illegally use its trademarks, such as 2010 and World Cup, to appear as the games draw closer. ITWeb reports that Owen Dean, a partner at Spoor and Fisher, which handles trademark infringements on FIFA’s behalf, says the organisation will not tolerate people who try to piggyback off the event. So far, the law firm has brought about 48 Web sites to FIFA’s attention, and it will take action and request that the sites be taken down if its trademarks are used.
The SA media’s concerns about FIFA restrictions on coverage of the World Cup have gone unheeded by the soccer world body for two years, veteran newsman Raymond Louw said on Friday. According to a report on the IOL site, Media groups Avusa, the Independent Group and Media 24 are now trying to ’engage in a constructive way’ with FIFA, through their lawyers, over the terms and conditions for accreditation. They believe that aspects of the terms and conditions ’unjustifiably limit media freedom’, said Dario Milo, of law firm Webber Wentzel.
FIFA expects to make a marginal loss on the 2010 World Cup, in contrast to the £178m profit it made in the 2006 tournament year. The Guardian reports that a senior FIFA source said that the governing body expects to be called upon to underwrite ’a few thousand dollars’ in overall losses in South Africa this year. But that is a much happier picture than the one FIFA painted eight months ago, when releasing its accounts for the 12 months to the end of 2008. To guard against financial risks, FIFA has been hoarding cash since the 2002 World Cup and by January 2009 it had exceeded its £500m equity target by £63m.
South Africa’s three largest newspaper groups have joined forces to send a submission to FIFA to inform them that the terms and conditions they imposed on journalists during the 2010 World Cup are ’unconstitutional’. The Times reports that in a written submission to FIFA and the LOC, Avusa Media Limited, Independent Newspapers and Media 24 have said restrictions outlined by FIFA ’unjustifiably restrict the media’s ability to report critically on the 2010 World Cup and any related or ancillary topics’. The submissions, handed to the soccer body by Johannesburg law firm Webber Wentzel on behalf of all three newspaper houses, state that FIFA ’holds a monopoly over all matters pertaining to the 2010 World Cup’.
FIFA, President Sepp Blatter has once again ruled out the introduction of video assistance for referees in the 2010 World Cup, notes a report on the iafrica.com site. Blatter has staunchly opposed the use of video replays as a refereeing aid because they would interrupt the flow of the game. But it has been reported that he might consider them after other technology has been approved. ’I’m not completely against it. But only when goal line technology is ready to be introduced, only then,’ he said.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Mondaysought to dispel any lingering doubts about South Africa’s ability to stage the World Cup and said he was sure potential transport problems would be ironed out in time. According to a report onto IOL site, soccer’s governing body raised concerns about transport after the Confederations Cup last June but Blatter said it was time to have faith that the month-long tournament starting in June would be a success. ’South Africa is a tourist country that welcomes 11 million visitors a year so I don’t know why there are doubts when it comes to football,’ he said at a news conference after meeting Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in Madrid
