FIFA calls off New Zealand, Fiji World Cup qualifier over visa ban

FIFA postponed Fiji's World Cup qualifier at New Zealand on Saturday because the home team's government refused to allow a visiting player into the county.

FIFA said the game cannot be played unless goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau is allowed into the country. New Zealand imposed travel sanctions against members of the Fijian military and their families over last December's military coup. Tamanisau's father-in-law is a military police officer.

"The goalkeeper should have the right to play," FIFA said in a statement. "Therefore, in order to preserve this sporting principle as well as the competitive integrity of the 2010 FIFA World Cup preliminary competition, FIFA could not allow the match to take place under the current conditions."

FIFA said it will decide later when and where the game will be held.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said sports organizations do not set foreign policy and called FIFA's decision unjust.

"Entry to another country is a privilege and all countries retain the right to exclude individuals in accordance with their immigration policy,"

Peru to Provide Fan Transportation for 2010 World Cup Qualifying Match Against Paraguay

Peru is preparing for the start of the 2010 World Cup Qualifying Rounds. In its first match against Paraguay, Peru will kick off the qualifying rounds for the 2010 World Cup.

Peru's National Soccer Coach, "Chemo" del Solar has announced the 11 starters for the match while the Municipality of Ate has authorized for the game to be held at the Monumental Stadium in Ate, Lima, Peru. Fans have purchased their tickets with only several thousand remaining.

One of the main concerns Peru's police has is the safety of the tens of thousands of fans that will go to the game. 16 escape routes have already been established inside the stadium in case of any emergency.

In addition, General Octavio Salazar has announced that 20 digital cameras have been set up along Javier Prado Avenue and the Carretera Central to monitor fan's behavior. General Salazar stated that the objective was to catch anyone vandalizing the area or committing acts of violence.

"The person who is filmed by a digital camera committing a criminal act will be turned over to authorities and drastically punished," said General Salazar in an interview with Andina news.

It was also reported that 11,000 police officers have been assigned to provide security before, during and after the soccer game Peru will play against Paraguay. 3,000 officers will be around the stadium while 8,000 have been placed throughout the streets of Lima.

Salazar reported that 100 buses would take fans from Javier Prado avenue to the stadium. The buses can be taken by fans at the intersections of Javier Prado and the following avenues: Brasil Avenue, Sánchez Carrión (ex Pershing) Avenue, Guardia Civil Avenue, Jockey Plaza and La Molina Avenue.

World Cup set to boost ICT in South Africa

Information and communication technology (ICT) in South Africa is expected to get a boost from the 2010 Soccer World Cup, with infrastructure providers and local government spending billions to ensure a successful tournament, according to key players at the recent ICT Journalist Media Forum.

Botlenyana Mokhele of the Department of Communications (DOC) said that the event provides an opportunity for the government to accelerate the development of state-of-the-art, robust, reliable and affordable ICT for 2010.

Local organising committee (LOC) technology manager Zakes Mnisi said the International Broadcast Centre will serve as the central hub for all broadcasting facilities. The 30 000-square-metre facility will accommodate up to 100 broadcasters from at least 50 countries, have about 1 000 people on the premises around the clock and require more than 500 telephone lines. The largest studio will be 50 square metres.

The forum also heard that other long-term benefits of 2010 ICT development include high-definition television (HDTV).

The South African Broadcasting Corporation's (SABC) acting chief technology officer, Nic Bonthuys, said that by 2009 the broadcaster will already have six high-definition outside broadcast units. HDTV, he said, offers a better-quality picture that particularly enhances sports broadcasts.

The SABC, as the official broadcaster, will be responsible for carrying all unilateral signals for its own local coverage and for international broadcasts from the stadiums to the International Broadcast Centre, which will be the gateway to local and international video and audio circuits.

The SABC is also investing in digital terrestrial transmissions, which will be rolled out from November 2008. Digital broadcasts will, however, run in parallel with analogue until the latter mode of transmission is switched off in 2011.

South Africa's major ICT infrastructure providers are also gearing up to ensure sufficient bandwidth for the broadcast demands of the 2010 World Cup, as well as for the 300 000-plus international visitors who will be relying on state-of-the-art telecommunications technology during their month's visit.

World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck said World Cup ICT requirements extend far beyond infrastructure and facilities. It poses an exciting challenge for industry players to meet the high expectations of sophisticated cellphone users from across the world. He said that in 18 months' time the South African ICT environment will be unrecognisable due to optic-fibre cable being laid, among other improvements.

Telkom is among the local companies appointed as an ICT partner for the World Cup. Its technology will provide the fixed-line telecommunications backbone for broadcasting the soccer action to the world. In essence, Telkom will enable the interconnection of important event venues, including the 10 World Cup stadiums, broadcast compounds, media centres, the International Broadcast Centre and Fifa headquarters.

Gauteng minister of finance Paul Mashatile emphasised that the province is looking at ICT beyond 2010. One of the major challenges it is already addressing is meeting broadband demand and reducing the cost of doing business in Gauteng.

Other major projects in the province, such as the Gautrain, will allow for a reduction in costs as optic-fibre cables will run in the underground track section between Park Station and Marlboro.

The clear message of the ICT media forum was that the investment to be made by World Cup partners and the government will leave an ICT legacy to benefit South Africans beyond 2010.

SA ready to do it again in 2010

"We've done it before and will do it again in 2010," is the rallying brand message by the IMC to build optimism in the country and the world.

The International Marketing Council (IMC) is responsible for branding the country for 2010 in consultation with "Germany - Land of ideas."

"South Africa has been there, done that and is more than ready to do it again," Kheepe Moremi, Marketing Director of the IMC said.

The 2010 campaign refers to some of the world events successfully hosted by South Africa including the 1995 Rugby World Cup, 2003 Cricket World Cup and the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).

The brand message emerged on Monday during the visit by two top European soccer players who are here to show their confidence in the country's ability to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The soccer stars Piotr Trochowski and Phillipp Lahm are expected to be in the country until 16 June, during which they will be involved in charity work including soccer clinics.

Also expected to join the two stars is Owen Hargreaves who missed his flight and failed to make it to the tour. He is expected to land in South Africa on Tuesday.

The IMC will be flighting this campaign on television and radio.

The City of Johannesburg's Executive Director for 2010, Sibongile Mazibuko reiterated that South Africa was ready to do it again.

"We have done it. We will do it again," she said referring to the city's role in the hosting of the three events.

She also said the city was bidding to host the International Broadcast Centre at the Johannesburg Expo Centre.

"We have submitted a detailed imaginative proposal to FIFA on the hosting of the International Broadcast Centre and we are confident we will win the bid," she said.

Cape Town and Durban, both of which are match host cities, are also bidding to host the IBC.

In addition to hosting fixtures at Soccer City and Ellis Park, Johannesburg will also provide six training venues for world cup teams.

They include Orlando stadium, Dobsonville, Rand, Cecil Payne, Rabie Ridge and Ruimsig stadiums.

Orlando and Dobsonville already meet FIFA's requirements in terms of the number of spectators they can accommodate.

Monday, 11 June, marked exactly three years to the day on which the first whistle will be blown for the first game of the 2010 World Cup at Soccer City, which is currently under construction.

A clock has also been unveiled at the OR Tambo International Airport for visitors to join South Africans on the count down to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

Still time to be included on 2010 World Cup database of suppliers

THE 2010 Soccer World Cup brings with it countless business opportunities. However, with three years to go before the big event, business owners feel that the Fifa World Cup South Africa Local Organising Committee (LOC) have not done enough to make them aware of these opportunities.

But now it seems the LOC have become aware of this and are trying to make amends by giving business owners who missed out on the August deadline for inclusion in their procurement database a second chance to access some of the opportunities from the World Cup.

The LOC’s procurement database gives registered businesses the first opportunity to supply the LOC with services and goods such as accommodation, catering, recruitment and World Cup uniforms.

Advertisements were published in four Sunday newspapers earlier this year and business owners had until 31 August to submit registration forms.

To register on the database businesses had to submit tax clearance and VAT registration certificates, as well as proof of their empowerment status.

Tumi Makgabo (pictured above), media liaison for the LOC, says so far they have received over 5 000 submissions from businesses from all sectors and from all nine provinces.

She says they will not turn away late submissions but will capture these on an “informal” database which they would also use when sourcing suppliers.

But business owners who missed the advertisements in the newspapers when they were published in August, will get another chance to come into consideration for these opportunities.

Makgabo explains: “If we cannot find the appropriate supplier (on the database) for the particular service we need we will advertise the tenders and contracts in the media.”

Makgabo says the LOC will advertise in the media every year for business owners to register to their database. Lamla Mapukata, who owns Khayelitsha business AL Tours and Catering, says he was not aware of the LOC’s procurement database.

He says he is disappointed that he missed the deadline for submissions, especially as he has identified the 2010 Soccer World Cup as an opportunity to grow his business.

He feels that the LOC could have made more of an effort to market the database, especially to businesses in the disadvantaged communities.

Makgaba says the advertisements in the Sunday newspapers was the most effective way for them to reach all business owners.

Other than sending every business owner an email, which is logistically impossible, I don’t see what else we could have done, says Makgabo.

She advises business owners to join a chamber as chambers tend to be on the look out for such opportunities and would inform their members about it.

Blatter says South Africa will host World Cup as planned

"They'll get it done," Blatter was quoted as telling German magazine Sport Bild on Tuesday. "It can and will take place in South Africa -- I'm convinced of that. And that's what we're working for."

Rumours have circulated in the media for months that FIFA was looking for an alternative host country -- possibly the United States or Germany -- because of concerns that South Africa had fallen far behind in its preparations.

"I've seen more at this point than I did in Germany," Blatter said of South Africa's preparations.

"There were still a lot of uncertainties in Germany four years before the World Cup there," he said. "Down there, they only have to build five stadiums and renovate one more. Four are already there."

Blatter also dismissed fears of high levels of crime in South Africa.

"There is crime everywhere around the world. But when you know where it is you can take the necessary precautions."

He also said transport infrastructure in the country should not pose problems.

"They have a good infrastructure of technology, communications and transport," Blatter said. "Of course they don't have the same number of rails as in Europe. But they are improving and renovating their transport infrastructure."

The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa will be a major breakthrough as it will be the first time that the jamboree will be hosted on the African continent. As the 2006 World Cup comes to an end on Sunday in Berlin, attention will now be focused on South Africa, which will become the 16th nation to host the tournament.

The country's elites spent the week in Germany learning from the German experience, and they now boast that they are ready for the challenge. That is the confidence that surrounded South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki on Friday in Berlin as he officially unveiled the long-awaited logo at a ceremony attended by world dignitaries, including United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, FIFA president Sepp Blater, CAF president Issa Hayatou, president of the 2006 World Cup organizing committee, Franz Beckenbauer, and the mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit.


Fifa World Cup Logo 2010
©2006 FIFA
The ceremony, which was described by FIFA as the "biggest single football party ever," was hosted at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin with free entry to all fans to watch African live performances.

"We come from a country where football is not simply a game but an enduring passion ... We come from a place where our hearts beat in unison as we celebrate a shared destiny and love for the beautiful game," Mbeki said.

Mbeki said 2010 would be not just a South African legacy, but also most importantly an African legacy. Mbeki also joked that he hopes the tournament will be not only the best ever, but also one in which the Cup is won by an African team for the very first time.

"It is a challenge we will win with flying colors," he said. "We said we will host in 2010 the most successful FIFA World Cup and we will keep that promise."

The slogan for the 2010 tournament is "Win with Africa in Africa." Mbeki compared Africa's hosting of the World Cup to the end of Apartheid in South Africa and called the tournament "a beacon of hope" for Africa. He also said it would end Western hegemony in the game, which drew wild applause from anxious fans.

"Africa is ready, Africa's time has come, Africa is calling. Come to Africa in 2010," he said.

FIFA's president, Blatter, was also very positive about the tournament.

"I am optimistic for Africa. The whole world trusts you. The whole FIFA family, they say 'yes' to South Africa. We trust South Africa."

Comparing South Africa 2010 to Germany 2006, Blatter joked, "Of course, it will not be like this World Cup in Germany. There will be a lot of drums and a lot of music."

Annan surprisingly admitted that football is now more universal than the United Nations, with FIFA having 207 members compared to 192 in the U.N.

"The World Cup is an event which illustrates the benefit of cross-pollinization between peoples and countries. More and more national teams now welcome coaches from other countries. More and more players represent clubs away from home between World Cups. They all bring new ways of thinking and playing. Everybody wins. Everybody wins by that cross-pollinization," Annan said.

The logo itself is an African map, with the stripes of the South African flag (blue, green, red, yellow, black, and white) blowing across it like the wind, and a player doing a magnificent scissor kick. Below, in the lower right corner, is written "FIFA World Cup -- South Africa 2010."

With the logo now launched, it goes without saying that the road to South Africa 2010 has begun.