BLATTER BLAMES CAMEROUN FOR FIFA'S FINE

[naija4ever]

Cameroun is to blame for FIFA's fine, says Blatter

FIFA's President Sepp Blatter again reiterated his organisation's stance regarding co-hosting for the 2010 World Cup, thus effectively cancelling out a joint bid by Libya and Tunisia only a few days before the successful country would be announced.

Speaking at a media conference in Johannesburg last Monday, where he was flanked by South Africa's 2010 World Cup bid chairman, Irvin Khoza, CEO Danny Jordaan, South African Football Association's President Molefi Oliphant, Blatter also addressed the penalty handed out to Cameroun for wearing one-piece suits at the recent African Nations Cup tournament in Tunisia.

Cameroun was recently fined a steep US$154 000 and further docked six points from the 2006 World Cup campaign in Germany even before playing its the first qualifying match, for using an unauthorised kit in defiance of the organization.

Blatter explained that FIFA initially warned Cameroun to stop using the kit, but the "Indomitable Lions" pleaded to be allowed to use the outfit until the end of the group stages of the tournament.

"However, it reneged on the agreement and continued to use the outfit, despite repeated pleas to it to change its equipment," said Blatter. "We even informed the team that it faced severe penalties should it proceed to use the kit in the knockout stages of the tournament.

"They (authorities) informed us that their suppliers could not change their outfit. Then we instituted an investigation and invited Cameroun to make a presentation, but they did not respond. We sent them a letter, which they ignored.

"Finally, it faced two penalties, the first for non compliance with the FIFA statutes and regulations and the second charge arose for non respect of FIFA with its attitude which was totally unacceptable."

However, Blatter could not say whether its appeal would be entertained or not, except to say now that FIFA has acted after imploring Cameroun on so many occasions to make a presentation, it seem keen to travel to Zurich and encouraged to pursue justice and fair play.

As far as co-hosting is concerned, Blatter said he had met both Presidents of Libya and Tunisia, Col Muamar Gadaffi and Ben Ali respectively and informed them that co-hosting could only be allowed in exceptional cases and provision had not been made for co-hosting in the FIFA statutes.

"As long as a single association can organise the World Cup," said Blatter. "Then so shall it be, otherwise Korea and Japan was an exceptional case where FIFA had to take a political decision to award the event to two countries.

"The Libyan president has actually come up with an idea to stage the 2010 World Cup in all five bidding countries. However, while this was a brilliant idea, it was nonetheless not practical and we informed him in that regard."

This effectively ruled out the two countries and the stage is now set for a titanic battle for the right to host the 2010 World Cup between Egypt, South Africa and Morocco, even though the former is considered merely as a dark horse and experts believe the real fight would be between South Africa and Morocco.

http://odili.net/news/source/2004/apr/29/35.html
Who is telling the truth?

[Its a Goal]

Like I've said before, Cameroun got what they deserve. You don't go flaunting rules simply because you think you can.