The World Cup trophy is set to embark on its longest ever global tour, with Fifa and Coca-Cola taking the solid-gold trophy to 86 countries during a 225-day journey.
The route of the tour, which will allow thousands of fans to enjoy a rare close-up view of the trophy, was unveiled in Zurich Monday by the world governing body and sponsors Coca-Cola.
The trophy will travel 134 017 kilometres and visit every nation in Africa to give African fans the once-in-a-lifetime experience of having their picture taken with the trophy.
Later in the week, the trophy will be flown from Zurich to its first stop in Cairo, Egypt.
“Through this event, we are really engaging football fans on a global scale, giving them the unique opportunity to have their picture taken with the most prestigious prize in world football and to embrace the excitement surrounding the Fifa World Cup,” said Blatter.
“I am especially thrilled that the Fifa World Cup Trophy Tour takes in all 54 nations in Africa and that this opportunity is thus afforded to all African football fans.”
Showing posts with label sepp blatter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sepp blatter. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Soccer noisemakers: a brief history
The current controversy over the vuvuzela at the Confederations Cup in South Africa is hardly the first debate about “artificial” noisemakers used by football fans. In different forms, their use has been common across the world for over a century.
So is the vuvuzela an organic instrument of South African football culture we should respect, or a commercialized nuisance that should be banned?
The Rattle
The first popular noisemaker in football — and one that made a sound to make even a vuvuzela wince — was the wooden rattle in Britain.
Though appearing as early as 1900, the rattle became the ubiquitous din to football matches in Britain after the world war. They had been popularised during the war as a way of warning people of gas attacks: their simple noise making capacity saved many lives. Holding the handle and spinning the rattle made a loud clacking noise, and this was soon transported to the terraces.
The Thunderstick
According to The Pitch Invasion, the thunderstick emerged in the 1990s in Korea, and quickly spread to North America at baseball, football and political rallies. The air chambers inside the inflated plastic baton amplifies the sound of the sticks clapped together, meaning even a child can create quite a racket. The advantage of thundersticks from a commercial standpoint is that, unlike rattles, they are large enough to feature a prominent company logo and can be produced cheap enough to mass distribute for free before games.
The Vuvuzela
And so we come to the vuvuzela. Originally made out of tin, they were mass produced in plastic in the last decade and have reached a new fame with the worldwide debate on their use prompted by the hum at every Confederations Cup game in South Africa. Many mistake the vuvuzela for the air horns used commonly around the world, but they have a different origin and use as an instrument in South Africa. BBC's Farayi Mungazi says in the defense of the instrument's use in the rainbow nation:
So then, that is that.“That is what African and South Africa football is all about - noise, excitement, dancing, shouting and enjoyment,” said the most powerful man in world football.
"I could not have put it better myself. Banning the vuvuzela would take away the distinctiveness of a South African World Cup.
"It is a recognized sound of football in South Africa and is absolutely essential for an authentic South African footballing experience.
"After all, what would be the point of taking the World Cup to Africa, and then trying to give it a European feel?
"Let us all embrace the vuvuzela and whatever else a South African World Cup throws at us.
"The fact that some in Europe find it irritating is no reason to get rid of it."
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Friday, June 05, 2009
Fifa drops age limit on nationality switches. So what?
You may know that previously, under Fifa law, a player could not for another country after featuring for the senior national team of another after his/her 21st birthday.
That is set to change.
That's Fifa has lifted the age limit on switching nationalities.
Do you know what this means? It means that players like Danny Welbeck, Mustapha Riga and others can play for Ghana.
A motion from the Algerian Football Association, removing the reference to the age limit, was passed by 58 percent of the FIFA Congress, opening the way for many players to get a second chance in international football.
The rule change does not affect any player who was played for the full national team as they are barred from switching nations.
"The theme of this Congress is protecting the game, protecting the players - above all, young players - and strengthening governance. We shall not only deal with the consequences of the issues but find solutions to tackle the roots, the causes of these issues" - Sepp Blatter
The motion was moved by an Algerian official and the change was backed heavily by African countries - many of whom will now hope to 'regain' players who have played at youth level for European countries.
Algeria could now have access to several players who have featured in France's youth teams such as Lazio midfielder Mourad Meghni. Meghni, who was born in France to Algerian parents, represented France at Under-17 and Under-21 level but has never played for the full national side.
Another significant decision Fifa took was to drop the age limit on referees, too.
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That is set to change.
That's Fifa has lifted the age limit on switching nationalities.
Do you know what this means? It means that players like Danny Welbeck, Mustapha Riga and others can play for Ghana.
A motion from the Algerian Football Association, removing the reference to the age limit, was passed by 58 percent of the FIFA Congress, opening the way for many players to get a second chance in international football.
The rule change does not affect any player who was played for the full national team as they are barred from switching nations.
"The theme of this Congress is protecting the game, protecting the players - above all, young players - and strengthening governance. We shall not only deal with the consequences of the issues but find solutions to tackle the roots, the causes of these issues" - Sepp BlatterThe motion was moved by an Algerian official and the change was backed heavily by African countries - many of whom will now hope to 'regain' players who have played at youth level for European countries.
Algeria could now have access to several players who have featured in France's youth teams such as Lazio midfielder Mourad Meghni. Meghni, who was born in France to Algerian parents, represented France at Under-17 and Under-21 level but has never played for the full national side.
Another significant decision Fifa took was to drop the age limit on referees, too.
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Saturday, May 23, 2009
SA 2010: Crime, terrorism and all that
The World Cup is a truly global event and, because of the nature of the competition, organisers need to consider any potential threat that the host country will face during the month long football extravaganza. Some people may not even consider the subjects of crime and terrorism, however, the host country needs to plan for any possibility, with safety and security key to the smooth running of the World Cup.
Next year is a very important year for South Africa and its people, as the football World Cup brings fans of the beautiful game from all over the world to the tip of Africa in what will be the first ever tournament held on the continent.
The IPL (Indian Premier League) cricket competition was recently moved to South Africa from India due to government fears that the country could not provide adequate security for fans after a number of terrorist attacks in the country claimed lives and destroyed the reputation of relatively peaceful Indian cities.
The IPL takes place later this month [has started, actually, and ends tomorrow] and South Africa was chosen to host it with less than a month to go before it was scheduled to start. This is further proof of the world’s faith in South Africa as a nation capable of hosting a sterling event and taking good care of those that choose to travel to the Rainbow Nation.
One thing is undeniable, however, and in modern times terrorism is a curse that is present throughout the world. The staging of the World Cup brings with it a certain focus and media rich environment that could create a potential target for terrorists aiming to capture the attention of the world with an act of cowardly violence.
The man whose job it is to neutralise these types of threats is director David Garnett - 2010 Senior Operations Coordinator - and he is mustering all his forces to combat both terrorists and criminals.
Speaking about crime, Garnett said, "[The] government has admitted that crime is a problem in South Africa, but I can give you the assurance that there are thousands upon thousands of dedicated members of the South African Police Services who are really working day and night in order to address the scourge of crime. We have had enormous successes."
Over the past few months the main concern of the world press has been the completion of the stadia, something that is moving along smoothly and without many obstacles. But what people have not noticed is the truly enormous security effort behind the scenes to ensure the safety of the players, fans and officials that come to the country.
For the last 18 months 14 different government departments have been conducting joint operations in different host cities around the country. A massive 41,000 additional policemen will be deployed before the tournament, with the police's budget alone amounting to R1.3 billion.
A grand plan is coming together to secure the routes, accommodation and tourist attractions. South Africa will be super safe by 2010. Backing up the average cops on the street is the police task force, who have spent months in training ahead of 2010.
Garnet said, “Special forces are going to be utilised according to their roles and responsibilities. Those details I'm not going to make public for obvious reasons because they remain the sharp edge of our policing."
He is also planning to supplement South African forces with foreign police. "We are in the process of inviting the police agencies from the countries who are attending the event to provide us with 16 to 20 police officers who will then be deployed in South Africa,” he said.
And where an incident occurs Special Courts will be set up to deal with any crime immediately.
Garnet continued, "The police are about 175,000 people [strong] at present and we are calling up some 41,000 - so there are many police officers left who will be conducting their normal crime prevention, law enforcement and investigation duties. We do not leave the rest of South Africa without any policing - that would be ludicrous."
In terms of the recent wave of terrorism, the air force is prepared to deal with any airborne threats that may present themselves.
After 18 months of World Cup specific training regarding any threats during the competition, the police, emergency services and the air force gave the media a glimpse of their training.
In a mock exercise, hijackers stormed in and captured members of the media. Three state of the art Hawk fighter jets were immediately commandeered to force the rogue plane down and, for the sake of the exercise, it landed. The hijackers were apprehended and hostages freed by a tactical task force. Meanwhile, a robot diffused a bomb on the tarmac. It was an example of what could happen in an emergency, and the training involved with the various situations portrayed in the exercise was impressive.
Lombard explains, "The worst case scenario would be that there would be intervention on the aircraft which could lead to the aircraft being shot down, but for that we would need presidential approval."
The fact that such situations have been taken into consideration is another reason why the World Cup is bound to be a success in South Africa. So much planning has gone into every detail of the competition. For the duration of the World Cup all aircraft flying within 50 nautical miles of a stadium will be deemed to be in military airspace. Working closely with civil aviation, even the air crews will need to be pre-approved.
Garnet added, "Obviously terrorism remains one of our main focus areas from a safety and security perspective. But I can tell you that we put in contingency plans to deal with any event in South Africa. We have dealt with major events in the past. We've had over 140 major events in the country since 1994 so I am confident from an international perspective that South Africa is quite safe."
Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan is confident of a safe World Cup. “We have had a 100 per cent safety record for every single match over the last 15 years in this country and, as we sit today, we are confident that we will have a safe event,” he said.
There is no doubt that South Africa is focusing on the safety and security of those fans that will travel to the country during the Confederations Cup and World Cup.
It certainly seems as though the country will be very safe and secure during the tournaments, leaving a legacy for those that remain after the final whistle has been blown.
First published by Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com
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Next year is a very important year for South Africa and its people, as the football World Cup brings fans of the beautiful game from all over the world to the tip of Africa in what will be the first ever tournament held on the continent.
The IPL (Indian Premier League) cricket competition was recently moved to South Africa from India due to government fears that the country could not provide adequate security for fans after a number of terrorist attacks in the country claimed lives and destroyed the reputation of relatively peaceful Indian cities.
The IPL takes place later this month [has started, actually, and ends tomorrow] and South Africa was chosen to host it with less than a month to go before it was scheduled to start. This is further proof of the world’s faith in South Africa as a nation capable of hosting a sterling event and taking good care of those that choose to travel to the Rainbow Nation.
One thing is undeniable, however, and in modern times terrorism is a curse that is present throughout the world. The staging of the World Cup brings with it a certain focus and media rich environment that could create a potential target for terrorists aiming to capture the attention of the world with an act of cowardly violence.
The man whose job it is to neutralise these types of threats is director David Garnett - 2010 Senior Operations Coordinator - and he is mustering all his forces to combat both terrorists and criminals.
Speaking about crime, Garnett said, "[The] government has admitted that crime is a problem in South Africa, but I can give you the assurance that there are thousands upon thousands of dedicated members of the South African Police Services who are really working day and night in order to address the scourge of crime. We have had enormous successes."
Over the past few months the main concern of the world press has been the completion of the stadia, something that is moving along smoothly and without many obstacles. But what people have not noticed is the truly enormous security effort behind the scenes to ensure the safety of the players, fans and officials that come to the country.
For the last 18 months 14 different government departments have been conducting joint operations in different host cities around the country. A massive 41,000 additional policemen will be deployed before the tournament, with the police's budget alone amounting to R1.3 billion.
A grand plan is coming together to secure the routes, accommodation and tourist attractions. South Africa will be super safe by 2010. Backing up the average cops on the street is the police task force, who have spent months in training ahead of 2010.
Garnet said, “Special forces are going to be utilised according to their roles and responsibilities. Those details I'm not going to make public for obvious reasons because they remain the sharp edge of our policing."
He is also planning to supplement South African forces with foreign police. "We are in the process of inviting the police agencies from the countries who are attending the event to provide us with 16 to 20 police officers who will then be deployed in South Africa,” he said.
And where an incident occurs Special Courts will be set up to deal with any crime immediately.A massive 41,000 additional policemen will be deployed before the tournament, with the police's budget alone amounting to R1.3 billion.
Garnet continued, "The police are about 175,000 people [strong] at present and we are calling up some 41,000 - so there are many police officers left who will be conducting their normal crime prevention, law enforcement and investigation duties. We do not leave the rest of South Africa without any policing - that would be ludicrous."
In terms of the recent wave of terrorism, the air force is prepared to deal with any airborne threats that may present themselves.
After 18 months of World Cup specific training regarding any threats during the competition, the police, emergency services and the air force gave the media a glimpse of their training.
In a mock exercise, hijackers stormed in and captured members of the media. Three state of the art Hawk fighter jets were immediately commandeered to force the rogue plane down and, for the sake of the exercise, it landed. The hijackers were apprehended and hostages freed by a tactical task force. Meanwhile, a robot diffused a bomb on the tarmac. It was an example of what could happen in an emergency, and the training involved with the various situations portrayed in the exercise was impressive.
After 18 months of World Cup training, the police, emergency services and the air force gave the media a glimpse of their training.
Lombard explains, "The worst case scenario would be that there would be intervention on the aircraft which could lead to the aircraft being shot down, but for that we would need presidential approval."
The fact that such situations have been taken into consideration is another reason why the World Cup is bound to be a success in South Africa. So much planning has gone into every detail of the competition. For the duration of the World Cup all aircraft flying within 50 nautical miles of a stadium will be deemed to be in military airspace. Working closely with civil aviation, even the air crews will need to be pre-approved.
Garnet added, "Obviously terrorism remains one of our main focus areas from a safety and security perspective. But I can tell you that we put in contingency plans to deal with any event in South Africa. We have dealt with major events in the past. We've had over 140 major events in the country since 1994 so I am confident from an international perspective that South Africa is quite safe."Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan is confident of a safe World Cup. “We have had a 100 per cent safety record for every single match over the last 15 years in this country and, as we sit today, we are confident that we will have a safe event,” he said.
There is no doubt that South Africa is focusing on the safety and security of those fans that will travel to the country during the Confederations Cup and World Cup.
It certainly seems as though the country will be very safe and secure during the tournaments, leaving a legacy for those that remain after the final whistle has been blown.
First published by Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com
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