Football News - More Blatter, Maradona and Other Felons

Four More Years for Blatter

Incumbent FIFA President Sepp Blatter was re-elected to the post by a margin of 83 votes. The 56 votes for Blatter's Cameroonian opponent Issa Hayatou, who was supported by South Korea's Chung Mong-joon, were not enough to depose the 66-year-old.
Blatter was accused of corruption and financial mismanagement as well as being undemocratic, but the allegations didn't sway the 139 delegates who voted in favour of the President's continuation as Supremo of World Football.
FIFA General Secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen, 43, who turned on mentor Blatter in early May 2002 by accusing him of wrongdoings in the management of the organisation, declared earlier he would not resign despite Blatter's victory, but has stood down from the congress investing FIFA's troubled finances and has agreed to quit as FIFA General Secretary after the World Cup. Zen-Ruffinen produced a 30-page document detailing the supposed malpractices of the older man. This document was used by eleven of Blatter's opponents in the Executive Committee to lodge a complaint against him in the Swiss courts. This lawsuit has subsequently been dropped.
Blatter was booed and whistled during his address to the congress in Seoul when he refused to let David Will, FIFA vice-president in charge of the Internal Audit Committee, answer a question from a delegate, but sounded defiant after his election win:
Why are people talking about a crisis? I've been serving FIFA for 27 years, yet I'm already presumed a criminal. I am shocked, disappointed, but not discouraged because my conscience is clear."

Ticket Snafu

Mutual recriminations continue to fly between British-based ticket distributors Byrom Consultants and the Japanese World Cup Organizing Committee (JAWOC) over the late arrival, and in some cases, non-arrival of match tickets. Each blames the other for the continuing mess, which saw fans arriving for the Ireland v Cameroon game in Niigata and the Germany v Saudi Arabia game without tickets they had ordered and paid for months ago. Anxious fans jammed ticket centers in the hope of picking up their tickets at the last moment. JAWOC completed mailing 150,000 late tickets to purchasers in Japan on May 29 but feared the tickets would not arrive in time for some fans. Byrom claims JAWOC was late in providing information on buyers' names and addresses. The missing tickets are due to be issued by Seamos Marketing, a Byrom-owned subsidiary, at ticketing centers at Haneda, Narita and Kansai airports, plus centers in Tokyo and the 10 venue cities. Inquiries for tickets purchased overseas by fans should be sent to World Cup Ticketing Bureau by FAX: 03 5220 2360 or email: enquiries.japan[at]fifa-tickets.com

Sent Back

29 May
A third man (British, 37) has been denied entry into Japan because he is on a hooligan 'blacklist'. He was deported from Narita Airport in Tokyo after arriving from England on a British Airways flight. He was in possession of 175 tickets for World Cup matches (mostly those involving England) and was allowed to keep these because they were legitimate.
Two other known British hooligans were refused entry into Japan earlier; they arrived from Istanbul on a Turkish Airways flight, but were deported on 27 May. The number of deported British fans stands at around 16 (June 1) and is set to rise.

A Heavy Hand

Three British fans complained of heavy-handed treatment from Japanese police on their arrival in Tokyo. One fan from Manchester was held for up to 9 hours for questioning and then followed and photographed after he was allowed to enter the country. The fans made their views known in a BBC radio interview and said they felt like packing up and going home.

Mascot Firm Goes Bust

Crix Yasuda, an established 70-year old Tokyo-based sporting goods firm that sold items, such as bags and whistles, featuring the World Cup mascots, has gone bankrupt. The mascots, 3 Spheriks, Nik, Kaz and Ato, have failed to really take off in Japan. It is the first time since the launch of the World Cup mascot, World Cup Willie the Lion in 1996, that FIFA has employed more than one cartoon mascot.
On the other hand some official goods manufacturers are reporting brisk sales. Shoei Foods which produces traditional Japanese confectionary wrapped in paper depicting soccer players and also markets happi coats (short kimonos) has seen a substantial increase in sales along with jewelry manufactuer I.K.Co which produces rings and pendants with small FIFA logos.

80 Year Old England Fans Arrive in Japan

Albert and Gladys Ferrar, 86 and 82 years old respectively, arrived in Japan to visit their son, celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary and support England in the match against Sweden. Albert assured the press that they would not be causing any trouble and Gladys added that she had no time for the ‘few hotheads' who gave traveling fans a bad name.

New Charter Flights from Haneda

Daytime charter flights began from Tokyo's Haneda airport to South Korea on May 30.
During the World Cup period Korean air will fly one round trip daily from Hanada to Seoul's Kimpo airport and ANA will have 8 flights between Hanada and Incheon's International Aiport.

Maradona Banned from Japan

Due to a previous conviction for cocaine possession Argentinian legend Diego Maradona will not be granted a visa to enter Japan. He will be free to visit South Korea however.

Senegal Player Accused of Theft

Senegal's Khalilou Fadiga was accused of stealing a US$230 necklace while out shopping with another player in Daegu, South Korea and was placed under investigation, according to reports in the Japanese media.

Fake Goods

Japanese customs officials have seized over 13,600 counterfeit sports goods already this year, mostly fake shirts from Thailand. The Adidas Japan shirt, which comes in two versions, retails for ¥9,900 (US$80) and ¥13,900 (US$112) compared with the fakes which cost between ¥2500-¥5000(US$20-(US$40). Customs officials are cracking down on illicit street sellers in Tokyo and Osaka.

Rice, Pickles and Football

The Japanese Justice Ministry has allowed Japanese prisons to let inmates watch the World Cup. Japan's largest prison, Fuchu prison in western Japan will grant prisoners an hour's viewing each day from 6pm. Riots occurred in Thai prisons in 1998 when soccer-mad felons were prohibited from watching the games in France.

Hello Mum, I'm in McDonalds

Official sponsor McDonalds plans to offer free 3-minute international and domestic phone calls in its hamburger restaurants in Japan. The service was available in 52 outlets in Tokyo and eight other localities including Sapporo, Kobe, Saitama and Yokohama.

Mobile Phone Photo Link-up

Japan‘s KDDI Corp. and South Korea's SK Telecom will allow their subscribers to send images to each other on new generation 3G CDMA 2000 mobile phones. Prices will be around ¥17 per image.

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