Tag Archives: Sepp Blatter

President Obama to attend 2010 World Cup

FIFA’s President Sepp Blatter has announced that President Barack Obama has accepted an invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup at Soccer City in Johannesburg on 11 June 2010, reports the Cape Argus.

Being cautious about Obama’s actual attendance, Blatter said:” The President of the United States has been invited to the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup.  He has accepted our invitation.  But you know that heads of state are extremely busy and hopefully his schedule will allow him to attend.”

Blatter said that the world had started trusting Africa, including South Africa, in delivering a unique but spectacular World Cup.   “The world will see a fantastic spectacle in Africa in 2010.   South Africa is going to make everyone proud of Africa.  Believe me, I trust Africa and South Africa completely.   I have never for a minute doubted that the 2010 World Cup will be a massive success” Blatter added.

Blatter added: “It is a continent that has given us so much and it’s time to give it something in return.  And look, our economic partners have shown their confidence, and television too.   They will be there in 2010.  It’s only right and I believe that it was a moral obligation of ours to give the World Cup to the Africans”, reports Reuters.

The opening match will attract up to 100 000 soccer fans, in a match at which Italy, as defending world champions, or Bafana Bafana, as hosts, will play.

Vuvuzelas won’t be banned in 2010!

FIFA has announced that South Africa’s favourite soccer noisemaker, the plastic vuvuzela “trumpet”, will not be banned for the 2010 World Cup, despite heavy criticism of the noise it makes from journalists and players currently attending the Confederations Cup games in South Africa.

Blatter has agreed that it is a noisy instrument, but said:  “But that is what African and South African football is all about – noise, excitement, dancing, shouting and enjoyment.   When we go to South Africa, we go to Africa.   It is noisy.   It is something else than in the rest of the world.”

Spanish star Xabi Alonso said:”That trumpet?  It is not nice.   I think Fifa should ban it.  It’s not really distracting, but it’s not a nice sound to hear”, reports The Times.   Alonso was reacting to the vuvuzelas used at Bloemfontein stadium, where its usage is said to have been “restrained” compared to at other stadia at which the Confederations Cup games are being played.  

Brazilian Robinho complained about the noise, saying that he could not hear the instructions from his coach when they played the United States.

A soccer fan was quoted by USA Today in saying that the vuvuzela is “a part of my life”.  Another said: “This is our voice.  We sing through it”!  

Spanish Santi Cazorla said:”It’s true that they make a lot of noise, but we’ll just have to get used to them”.

Confed Cup ticket prices won’t be reduced

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has slammed the 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee for the poor attendance at the Spain/New Zealand Confederations Cup game in Rustenburg on Sunday evening.  The game was played to a virtually empty stadium, with most soccer fans seen in the lower priced standing area.

USA Today reports that 2010 Local Organising Committee spokesperson Rich Mkhondo said that despite the poor turnout, ticket prices will not be reduced.   “The South African nation’s job is to host the event, not attend it” is the astounding quote attributed to Mkhondo!   He added: “You can take the horse to the water, but you can’t force it to drink that water”!   He expressed doubt whether an extra 100 000 unsold seats can be filled if they are given away.   Can this man really be representing the best South African interests in making such nonsensical comments?   Is there bad blood between FIFA and the Local Organising Committee in making Mkhondo utter such absurd statements?

Blatter was not happy with the empty seats, evident from the television broadcast of the Rustenburg match.  He suggested to the local organisers that they should have done more to fill the empty seats, including giving them away for free.

Attendance at the Opening Ceremony at Ellis Park was marred by problems in getting shuttle buses from the designated parking areas to the stadium.   Many soccer fans arrived late as a result.

FIFA: “South Africa is not only ready, South Africa is committed”

FIFA Chairman Sepp Blatter is visiting South Africa, and has given the thumbs-up to what he has seen on his latest visit to South Africa, to mark the 365 day countdown to 11 June 2010.  

Blatter met President Zuma and Western Cape Premier Helen Zille at Green Point stadium in Cape Town this week, and declared: “South Africa is not only ready, South Africa is committed”, reports The Times!

Blatter congratulated Zuma on his presidency, stating that he was happy that “he likes football and has realised what the World Cup can bring to his country and the continent.”   Blatter added:  “You have the confidence and trust of FIFA but also of the fans.  Everyone wants to be here.”

Danny Jordaan, CEO of the Local Organising Committee, praised the beauty of Durban’s Moses Mabhida and Cape Town’s Green Point stadia.   “The 2010 Fifa World Cup must be the end of an era and the beginning of a new era.   It must herald an era.  It must herald an era in which our country becomes a major driving force and an active participant in the global economy” said Jordaan.

Jordaan also said that 630 000 tickets have been sold to fans in 188 countries, half of these being sold to South Africans, for the 2010 World Cup.   The USA and the UK are the next biggest ticket purchasers, with roughly 70 000 and 43 000, respectively.

Jordaan also said that 70 % of the 640 000 Confederations Cup tickets have been sold.  The Confederations Cup commences on Sunday.

Cape Town Tourism organised the ceremonial kicking off of soccer balls from Table Mountain on 11 June, to mark the 365 days before the start of the World Cup, and attracted a fair number of Capetonians.   CODA performed a new song they have written for the World Cup, and vuvuzelas trumpeted.   The Green Point Stadium is already about 70 % completed, and will be ready for handover on 14 December, says a special Independent Newspaper “1 year to kick off” insert.   A pedestrian underpass will run underneath the traffic circle near the stadium, and the Green Point Common will be upgraded.   Green building practices are being applied for the stadium construction.   The Cape Town International airport upgrade will have been completed by November.