Fifa are to donate $250,000 (157,321.75 pounds) to the families of the victims of last week's Egyptian stadium disaster in which 74 people were killed after violence flared at a soccer match in Port Said between al-Masry and Cairo-based Al Ahli.
"I stated after the tragedy that this day was a black day for football. I'm still very shocked by what happened. Many of the victims were so young," Fifa president Sepp Blatter said in a statement.
"They were also a crucial support for their families, who now need help. The football community, including Fifa, must assist its Egyptian brothers and sisters."
Fifa said the sum would be paid into a charity account opened by Al Ahli.
At least 1,000 people were also injured in the violence when fans invaded the pitch after al-Masry's victory on Feb 2. Most of the deaths were among people trampled in the crush of the panicking crowd, while others fell or were thrown from terraces.
Showing posts with label fifa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fifa. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Fifa asked to get tough on naturalised players
Fifa need to toughen the rules on naturalised players, Zambia coach Herve Renard said on Saturday as they prepared to face Equatorial Guinea whose entire team were born abroad.
"I think Fifa has to control everything," Renard told reporters at the African Nations Cup, where Burkina Faso have also been involved in naturalisation controversy.
"I would be very disappointed if, in 10 years' time, I saw a national team fielding five players who didn't have any connection with that country."
"I think it is a shame if it happens in the future and I ask Fifa to be very tough about this."
Equatorial Guinea's line-up against Libya and Senegal consisted of 11 players born outside the country, a mix of Spanish-based players, who qualify through their parents, and naturalised players from Brazil, Liberia, Cameroon and Cape Verde.
There has been controversy over whether the naturalised players have lived in the country for five years as required by Fifa rules. Co-hosts Equatorial Guinea have already qualified for the quarter-finals after winning their first two games.
Renard, whose team need a draw in Sunday's Group B match to qualify for the quarter-finals, added: "I don't know the case of the Equatorial Guinea players."
"I don't know if some are born here, if their parents were born here, and I don't want to know, it's not my problem," added the Frenchman.
"We will play against the Equatorial Guinea national team and we have to beat them, that's all."
He said Equatorial Guinea's world ranking of 151 did not reflect the current side.
"The ranking is not with the same players as they had before; now they brought in some new players, plus the support of the country, so now they are improving a lot."
Burkina Faso's place at the tournament was thrown into jeopardy two weeks before the start by a protest from qualifying opponents Namibia.
The Namibians said that Burkina had fielded Cameroon-born defender Herve Zengue against them when he was ineligible and took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The protest was rejected but Burkina left Russian-based Zengue out of their squad.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said before the tournament that teams were obeying the rules and that extra checks were unnecessary and impractical.
"I think Fifa has to control everything," Renard told reporters at the African Nations Cup, where Burkina Faso have also been involved in naturalisation controversy.
"I would be very disappointed if, in 10 years' time, I saw a national team fielding five players who didn't have any connection with that country."
"I think it is a shame if it happens in the future and I ask Fifa to be very tough about this."
Equatorial Guinea's line-up against Libya and Senegal consisted of 11 players born outside the country, a mix of Spanish-based players, who qualify through their parents, and naturalised players from Brazil, Liberia, Cameroon and Cape Verde.
There has been controversy over whether the naturalised players have lived in the country for five years as required by Fifa rules. Co-hosts Equatorial Guinea have already qualified for the quarter-finals after winning their first two games.
Renard, whose team need a draw in Sunday's Group B match to qualify for the quarter-finals, added: "I don't know the case of the Equatorial Guinea players."
"I don't know if some are born here, if their parents were born here, and I don't want to know, it's not my problem," added the Frenchman.
"We will play against the Equatorial Guinea national team and we have to beat them, that's all."
He said Equatorial Guinea's world ranking of 151 did not reflect the current side.
"The ranking is not with the same players as they had before; now they brought in some new players, plus the support of the country, so now they are improving a lot."
Burkina Faso's place at the tournament was thrown into jeopardy two weeks before the start by a protest from qualifying opponents Namibia.
The Namibians said that Burkina had fielded Cameroon-born defender Herve Zengue against them when he was ineligible and took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The protest was rejected but Burkina left Russian-based Zengue out of their squad.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said before the tournament that teams were obeying the rules and that extra checks were unnecessary and impractical.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Brazil, FIFA to meet Monday on legal dispute: paper
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff plans to meet the president of soccer's world governing body on Monday to resolve a legal dispute over the 2014 World Cup, the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported.
FIFA has asked Brazil to suspend several laws while it hosts the World Cup, including one that requires theatrical and sports events to provide half-price tickets to people over 65, the paper reported on Saturday.
The laws, FIFA says, threaten to increase the governing body's costs, reduce its ability to protect its brands and sponsors' trademarks and to saddle FIFA with other legal liabilities, Estado said, citing Orlando Silva, Brazil's sports minister.
Rousseff plans to meet FIFA President Joseph Blatter in Brussels on Monday and is ready to compromise on a series of FIFA complaints, Silva told the newspaper.
They include some prohibitions on alcohol sales and rules that grant low-cost tickets to students and youth, the newspaper said. She won't suspend the Elderly Persons' Statute or consumer protection laws, it reported.
Rousseff's office would not confirm or deny a meeting. Brazil's sports ministry and FIFA's media department did not return phone calls Saturday.
FIFA's complaints come after criticism of delays in the construction or repair of stadiums and the expansion of public transport facilities for the World Cup. Allegations have also been rising about cost overruns and corruption related to the World Cup and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
FIFA 2014 World Cup sponsors include Adidas, Coca-Cola, Sony, Anheuser-Busch InBev's Budweiser unit and McDonald's and Visa.
The World Cup Bill being debated in Congress, for example, fails to provide sufficient penalties to companies and individuals who sell pirate goods or infringe trademarks, it said, citing Silva.
The penalties are three months to two years in jail or a fine, which FIFA considers "innocuous," Estado reported.
FIFA has asked Brazil to suspend several laws while it hosts the World Cup, including one that requires theatrical and sports events to provide half-price tickets to people over 65, the paper reported on Saturday.
The laws, FIFA says, threaten to increase the governing body's costs, reduce its ability to protect its brands and sponsors' trademarks and to saddle FIFA with other legal liabilities, Estado said, citing Orlando Silva, Brazil's sports minister.
Rousseff plans to meet FIFA President Joseph Blatter in Brussels on Monday and is ready to compromise on a series of FIFA complaints, Silva told the newspaper.
They include some prohibitions on alcohol sales and rules that grant low-cost tickets to students and youth, the newspaper said. She won't suspend the Elderly Persons' Statute or consumer protection laws, it reported.
Rousseff's office would not confirm or deny a meeting. Brazil's sports ministry and FIFA's media department did not return phone calls Saturday.
FIFA's complaints come after criticism of delays in the construction or repair of stadiums and the expansion of public transport facilities for the World Cup. Allegations have also been rising about cost overruns and corruption related to the World Cup and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
FIFA 2014 World Cup sponsors include Adidas, Coca-Cola, Sony, Anheuser-Busch InBev's Budweiser unit and McDonald's and Visa.
The World Cup Bill being debated in Congress, for example, fails to provide sufficient penalties to companies and individuals who sell pirate goods or infringe trademarks, it said, citing Silva.
The penalties are three months to two years in jail or a fine, which FIFA considers "innocuous," Estado reported.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
FIFA RANKINGS Spain lead rankings, Brazil reach 18-year low
Spain have returned to the top of Fifa's world rankings only one month after being knocked from first place but five-time world champions Brazil have fallen to an 18-year low.
World and European champions Spain returned to the top with a 3-2 friendly win over Chile followed by a 6-0 thrashing of Liechtenstein in a Euro 2012 qualifier earlier this month.
They replaced the Netherlands who, under the complicated points system, dropped to second despite beating San Marino 11-0 at home and Finland 2-0 away in Euro 2012 qualifiers.
Germany stayed third and Copa America champions Uruguay climbed to fourth, a new high for the South Americans after a 3-2 friendly win over Ukraine.
Brazil are down to seventh after a 1-0 friendly win over Ghana in London and a 0-0 draw away to Argentina. It is their lowest ranking since August 1993 when they dropped to eighth, their worst-ever position.
The 2014 World Cup hosts have been rebuilding their team under Mano Menezes but have struggled to find the right formula.
England drop from fourth to eighth with Portugal and Italy rising above them.
RANKINGS:
(Last month's positions in brackets)
1. (2) Spain
2. (1) Netherlands
3. (3) Germany
4. (5) Uruguay
5. (8) Portugal
6. (7) Italy
7. (6) Brazil
8. (4) England
9. (10) Croatia
10. (9) Argentina
World and European champions Spain returned to the top with a 3-2 friendly win over Chile followed by a 6-0 thrashing of Liechtenstein in a Euro 2012 qualifier earlier this month.
They replaced the Netherlands who, under the complicated points system, dropped to second despite beating San Marino 11-0 at home and Finland 2-0 away in Euro 2012 qualifiers.
Germany stayed third and Copa America champions Uruguay climbed to fourth, a new high for the South Americans after a 3-2 friendly win over Ukraine.
Brazil are down to seventh after a 1-0 friendly win over Ghana in London and a 0-0 draw away to Argentina. It is their lowest ranking since August 1993 when they dropped to eighth, their worst-ever position.
The 2014 World Cup hosts have been rebuilding their team under Mano Menezes but have struggled to find the right formula.
England drop from fourth to eighth with Portugal and Italy rising above them.
RANKINGS:
(Last month's positions in brackets)
1. (2) Spain
2. (1) Netherlands
3. (3) Germany
4. (5) Uruguay
5. (8) Portugal
6. (7) Italy
7. (6) Brazil
8. (4) England
9. (10) Croatia
10. (9) Argentina
Fifa plans caps, more transparency for agent fees
Players' agents could face limits on the amounts they earn from transfers and clubs could be forced to reveal how much they pay them, according to plans from world soccer's ruling body Fifa.
Marco Villiger, Fifa's head of legal affairs, said the organisation wanted to ditch its system of licensing agents and bring in regulations governing transfers and agents' conduct.
Fifa believes only 25-30 percent of international transfers are carried out by licensed agents, meaning the vast majority are brokered by agents operating under little or no regulation.
Transfers are big business and agents' cuts can run into millions of dollars. Since the 2010 World Cup, some 10,500 international transfers have taken place at a combined value of some $2.7 billion according to Fifa.
"What you pay for with agents, it's only access to the players," Villiger told a news briefing.
"It is in the pockets of people who do not invest in football."
Under plans already backed by Fifa's legal committee, licensing of agents would end, although agents would still have to register with national associations.
Agents would have to declare conflicts of interest and would not be allowed to command a fee for transfers of minors. Clubs would have to disclose payments and those payments could be limited.
"(A) fair (amount) could perhaps be two to three percent (of the transfer fee) or a cap of $2 million," Villiger said, adding the mere obligation for clubs to reveal their payments to agents could lead them to limit future spending.
The European Commission is due to host a meeting to include Fifa, European soccer's governing body Uefa and agents to discuss the matter in October.
Villiger said legal experts it had consulted believed the new regulations would not conflict with European law and the plans could be put to a full Fifa congress next year.
Longer term, Fifa believes it can transform its system of regulations concerning international transfers into a web-based "clearing house" for player purchases and sales.
Clubs can already carry out certain parts of player transfers over the internet rather than faxing documents back and forth.
The clearing house system could lead to clubs putting players up for sale on the web, allowing others to buy with the click of a button - like standard internet shopping with extra checks.
"We could make agents less important," Villiger said.
"The money paid today could stay in the sport."
The plans, albeit some years in the making, form part of Fifa's promise to clean up football as well as its own act following a spate of corruption scandals.
Marco Villiger, Fifa's head of legal affairs, said the organisation wanted to ditch its system of licensing agents and bring in regulations governing transfers and agents' conduct.
Fifa believes only 25-30 percent of international transfers are carried out by licensed agents, meaning the vast majority are brokered by agents operating under little or no regulation.
Transfers are big business and agents' cuts can run into millions of dollars. Since the 2010 World Cup, some 10,500 international transfers have taken place at a combined value of some $2.7 billion according to Fifa.
"What you pay for with agents, it's only access to the players," Villiger told a news briefing.
"It is in the pockets of people who do not invest in football."
Under plans already backed by Fifa's legal committee, licensing of agents would end, although agents would still have to register with national associations.
Agents would have to declare conflicts of interest and would not be allowed to command a fee for transfers of minors. Clubs would have to disclose payments and those payments could be limited.
"(A) fair (amount) could perhaps be two to three percent (of the transfer fee) or a cap of $2 million," Villiger said, adding the mere obligation for clubs to reveal their payments to agents could lead them to limit future spending.
The European Commission is due to host a meeting to include Fifa, European soccer's governing body Uefa and agents to discuss the matter in October.
Villiger said legal experts it had consulted believed the new regulations would not conflict with European law and the plans could be put to a full Fifa congress next year.
Longer term, Fifa believes it can transform its system of regulations concerning international transfers into a web-based "clearing house" for player purchases and sales.
Clubs can already carry out certain parts of player transfers over the internet rather than faxing documents back and forth.
The clearing house system could lead to clubs putting players up for sale on the web, allowing others to buy with the click of a button - like standard internet shopping with extra checks.
"We could make agents less important," Villiger said.
"The money paid today could stay in the sport."
The plans, albeit some years in the making, form part of Fifa's promise to clean up football as well as its own act following a spate of corruption scandals.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Brazil starts World Cup countdown
Flags were waved, countdown clocks switched on, speeches made and processions held all over Brazil on Friday, all to mark the 1000th day before the 2014 FIFA World Cup gets underway.
President Dilma Rousseff launched the event at a stadium in Belo Horizonte alongside the footballing legend Pele, who is Brazil's World Cup ambassador.
Morning broke in Salvador de Bahia to the sound of the drums of the cultural group Olodum, who took up position on the banks of the Dique do Tororo lake, just a stone's throw from the Arena Fonte Nova, one of the venues for Brazil 2014, reports Fifa.com.
Meanwhile, prayers were being said at the Estadio Placido Castelo in Fortaleza, where the hundreds of workers refurbishing the venue gathered for a special service.
Over in Sao Paulo, city mayor Gilberto Kassab took a train ride from the centre out to the suburb of Itaquera, where the Arena de Sao Paulo is being built. Making the journey with him was the state governor Geraldo Alckmin, two-time world champion Ronaldo, and fellow FIFA World Cup winners such as Rivelino.
"It took us 19 minutes to travel out here," said O Fenômeno.
"There's superb access and an excellent stadium in place, as we've seen for ourselves today with just 1000 days to go to the World Cup."
Countdown clocks were switched on in host cities such as Recife, Natal and Cuiaba, while teams of graffiti artists began adorning the fences surrounding Brasilia's Estadio Nacional with Fifa World Cup-themed artwork.
The festivities in Porto Alegre had a local gaúcho flavour, with the Cavalgada dos Mil Dias (The Procession of a Thousand Days) attracting a large number of people for a walk from the Beira-Rio, another competition venue, to the Acampamento Farroupilha, an outdoor camp held every September in the city's Parque Harmonia.
"Over the next thousand days we're going to keep the pace up, stay united and remain focused on victory so that Natal can set the standard as a host city of the Fifa World Cup," said the governor of Rio Grande do Norte, Rosalba Ciarlini.
"This is an event that is strategic to our objective of driving Rio Grande do Norte forward through construction projects, investments, economic growth and opportunities for its people. That is why we can safely say that regardless of results on the pitch - and it is my belief that Brazil will win their sixth world title - the state of Rio Grande do Norte will emerge victorious from the 2014 World Cup."
The celebrations continued into the night in cities across the country, with fireworks and a variety of spectacles and shows entertaining the crowds as Brazil 2014 moved that little bit closer into view.
President Dilma Rousseff launched the event at a stadium in Belo Horizonte alongside the footballing legend Pele, who is Brazil's World Cup ambassador.
Morning broke in Salvador de Bahia to the sound of the drums of the cultural group Olodum, who took up position on the banks of the Dique do Tororo lake, just a stone's throw from the Arena Fonte Nova, one of the venues for Brazil 2014, reports Fifa.com.
Meanwhile, prayers were being said at the Estadio Placido Castelo in Fortaleza, where the hundreds of workers refurbishing the venue gathered for a special service.
Over in Sao Paulo, city mayor Gilberto Kassab took a train ride from the centre out to the suburb of Itaquera, where the Arena de Sao Paulo is being built. Making the journey with him was the state governor Geraldo Alckmin, two-time world champion Ronaldo, and fellow FIFA World Cup winners such as Rivelino.
"It took us 19 minutes to travel out here," said O Fenômeno.
"There's superb access and an excellent stadium in place, as we've seen for ourselves today with just 1000 days to go to the World Cup."
Countdown clocks were switched on in host cities such as Recife, Natal and Cuiaba, while teams of graffiti artists began adorning the fences surrounding Brasilia's Estadio Nacional with Fifa World Cup-themed artwork.
The festivities in Porto Alegre had a local gaúcho flavour, with the Cavalgada dos Mil Dias (The Procession of a Thousand Days) attracting a large number of people for a walk from the Beira-Rio, another competition venue, to the Acampamento Farroupilha, an outdoor camp held every September in the city's Parque Harmonia.
"Over the next thousand days we're going to keep the pace up, stay united and remain focused on victory so that Natal can set the standard as a host city of the Fifa World Cup," said the governor of Rio Grande do Norte, Rosalba Ciarlini.
"This is an event that is strategic to our objective of driving Rio Grande do Norte forward through construction projects, investments, economic growth and opportunities for its people. That is why we can safely say that regardless of results on the pitch - and it is my belief that Brazil will win their sixth world title - the state of Rio Grande do Norte will emerge victorious from the 2014 World Cup."
The celebrations continued into the night in cities across the country, with fireworks and a variety of spectacles and shows entertaining the crowds as Brazil 2014 moved that little bit closer into view.
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