SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: FIFA President Sepp Blatter says 2010 World Cup in South Africa developed the regional game and future Russia and Qatar tournaments will do the same

Record ID: 452714

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: FIFA President Sepp Blatter says 2010 World Cup in South Africa developed the regional game and future Russia and Qatar tournaments will do the same
  • Date: 14th December 2010
  • Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (DECEMBER 13, 2010) (REUTERS) WIDE OF THE FNB STADIUM BUS DONATED TO SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (SAFA ) BY FIFA PARKED OUTSIDE STADIUM MORE OF DONATED CARS AND BUSES FIFA PRESIDENT SEPP BLATTER POSING WITH THE FIFA LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE CAMERAS AT BLATTER'S JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE WITH SOUTH AFRICA PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA WIDE OF BLATTER AND ZUMA ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIFA PRESIDENT SEPP BLATTER SAYING: "We go to eastern Europe, we go to eastern Europe, to Russia, where never, never the World Cup has been in and later on we go to the Middle East, we go to the Arabic world, we go to the Islamic world. This is development of football and don't speak about money, this has nothing to do with money, as it had nothing to do here in Africa, it is development of the game. We have to go with our game, somewhere where it can improve social, cultural impact and this is what we did here in Africa and I am so proud that we realised something here." TV MONITOR READING: 'LAUNCH OF 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP LEGACY TRUST' (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH AFRICA PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA SAYING: "Africans have always believed in themselves, now the world believes in them too and the World Cup contributed a great deal to this change in perceptions" JOURNALISTS AND OFFICIALS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIFA PRESIDENT SEPP BLATTER SAYING: "I think there is too much concern for the competition that will be done only in 12 years, but this gives me the opportunity, lady, to say that in FIFA -- and this is in the statutes of FIFA -- we are better in politics, we are better in religion, we don't want racism, we know what that means, discrimination, any discrimination. What we want is just to open this game to everybody and open it to all cultures and this is what we are doing in 2022." SEPP BLATTER AND JACOB ZUMA SEATED AT PODIUM PEOPLE AT NEWS CONFERENCE BLATTER PRESENTING GIFT TO ZUMA FOR SOUTH AFRICA'S ORGANISATION OF A SUCCESSFUL WORLD CUP
  • Embargoed: 29th December 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa, South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA6W9MFDL1YR177FFZTTHM77INV
  • Story Text: The recent awarding of future soccer World Cup finals to Russia and Qatar was about spreading the sport around the globe and not enriching the coffers of its governing body, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said on Monday (December 13).
    Leading newspapers in the United States and Britain criticised the bid process as opaque and possibly corrupt, while Blatter rejected the allegations, describing unsuccessful England as "bad losers" for their reaction.
    Speaking in South Africa where he helped launch the 2010 World Cup Legacy Trust, Blatter said: "We go to eastern Europe, we go to eastern Europe, to Russia, where never, never the World Cup has been in and later on we go to the Middle East, we go to the Arabic world, we go to the Islamic world. This is development of football and don't speak about money, this has nothing to do with money, as it had nothing to do here in Africa, it is development of the game. We have to go with our game, somewhere where it can improve social, cultural impact and this is what we did here in Africa and I am so proud that we realised something here."
    South African President Jacob Zuma, who appeared with Blatter at the news conference, said the competition helped cushion his country's economy from the global economic downturn and contributed to growth this year.
    "Africans have always believed in themselves, now the world believes in them too and the World Cup contributed a great deal to this change in perceptions," said Zuma.
    The 2018 Cup in Russia will be the first staged in eastern Europe after 10 tournaments in the western half of the continent. Qatar success in getting the 2022 competition is a first both for the Middle East and for an Arab country; it will also be the smallest nation ever to host the World Cup.
    Blatter was questioned by a woman at the news conference about social attitudes in Qatar and replied: "I think there is too much concern for the competition that will be done only in 12 years, but this gives me the opportunity, lady, to say that in FIFA -- and this is in the statutes of FIFA -- we are better in politics, we are better in religion, we don't want racism, we know what that means, discrimination, any discrimination. What we want is just to open this game to everybody and open it to all cultures and this is what we are doing in 2022."
    Blatter announced that the World Cup Legacy Trust will contribute a total of $100 million to soccer and youth programmes in the country.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register