Fifa's World Cup media rules challenged

What is wrong with Fifa ensuring that the media (SA media in particular) does not harm the reputation of the World Cup?
The last I checked, the rights to this tournament belongs solely to Fifa, who have absolute authority on the tournament. The powers that be at Fifa are fully aware of how irresponsible media vehicles can be and have rightfully taken preventative measures.

Are these people, the 'plaintiffs', also not aware that Fifa is not bound by the SA constitution, to put it bluntly ?
For goodness sake, it's not as if Fifa is a group of mercenaries intent on mass terrorism.

Ah, the great god – FIFA

Imo – FIFA are attempting to put a lid or your president and the other political puppets.

Your president Zuma recently made a statement that was echoes by the media, that HE “guarantees” that there will be no problems in the area of safety for visitors to the 2010 WC. This is the same guy reported by global media as saying taking a shower can prevent HIV AIDS. Hello!!

By making such a statement of safety guarantees it can be taken as literal in the court of law

That is, should some overseas visitor to South Africa for the WC become another statistic of your

50 a day / 18 250 murders a year

Then anyone with half a brain can get a lawyer to present a case

Remember – South Africa is currently in negotiations with America attempting to sue certain large corporations for assisting apartheid, this is to the tune of billions.

Anyone in the know of how these legal battles of words, lawyers with fancy suits and slick words and connections to the media will understand

My guess is that FIFA knows the risks (plural intended) and there has been discussion already taken place between the Germans and the heads of FIFA.

You see, in first world countries the slaughter of someone going to see a football match and being robbed of their cellphone is just not acceptable

In your country it is a daily occurrence and the world IS aware, your politicians are aware and are now panicking hence your president has to make such a statement.

FIFA also understand that the ongoing media statements that South Africa is a safe destination is a HUGE RISK

They are lying about the safety and it is all too late.

It is called

CRISIS MANAGEMENT

A very common term in South Africa.

FIFA are more concerned that the rampant corruption in the organisation does not come to light - more than wanting to protect the World Cup.
For those interested in what is actually going on in FIFA you should visit http://www.transparencyinsport.org/
You will be shocked!!

I'd say Mrs Merkel will tell Sepp Blatter to f... off - all in polite German of course. I don't know about Mr Brown.

Even if it does not serve our cause, can anyone truly say that the media in Germany and Britain is in fact wrong about crime in our country? I believe they have a duty to their own public instead of our grand cause. And guess in what light they'll put our police jol in Bloem: "SA Police celebrates crime in style ..."

@TheMoxter - if you're operating within the RSA, you are bound by the RSA's constitution. Private entities don't get to make their own rules up as they go along. Further, free speech and a robust press is FAR more important than an event like the World Cup, even if it be the most important event in the RSA this year.

VIVA to FIFA, for clipping our arrogant media's wings! Our media misguidedly think their rights are absolute and must override everything happening in this country! Did it ever occur to our media that even if FIFA will lose any court challenge, their next move would simply be to cancel their accreditation! It seems our media fails to understand, this is a FIFA event, where they make the rules! E-TV should not get any accreditation from FIFA!

FREEDOM OF SPEECH ????

HUMAN RIGHTS ???????

http://www.transparencyinsport.org/World_Cup_Tickets_Disaster/world_cup_tickets_disaster(page2).html

FIFA has awarded the exclusive rights to package tickets and rooms in South Africa to the MATCH company, set up by Mexican businessmen Jaime and Enrique Byrom. Shareholders include a Japanese company named in a major FIFA bribery scandal and Philippe Blatter, nephew of the FIFA president.

Keeping it in the Blatter family






Whoever takes home the World Cup trophy, young Mr Blatter expects to be a winner. That’s Philippe Blatter, nephew of FIFA supremo Sepp Blatter.



President Blatter enthuses about the ‘family of FIFA’ and he practices what he preaches. The most lucrative business opportunities at the World Cup go to a small group of businessmen and now his nephew Philippe Blatter is getting his share.



Philippe has been the boss of Infront, a Swiss-based sports marketing company, since 2006. An important shareholder is billionaire Saudi banker Sheikh Salih Kamel, who put his wealth behind President Blatter’s re-election in 2002. The Sheikh also owns ART, a satellite TV company, delivering exclusive sports programming and the FIFA World Cup to the Arab world.



The Infront company chooses to base itself in the Zug offices that previously housed FIFA’s former marketing partner the ISL company until it went bust in 2001.



ISL had the exclusive contract to film the World Cup for the world’s television networks. Infront has inherited this contract. ISL controlled the archive of World Cup films that command high fees from broadcasters. Infront has also inherited this business.



In the spring of 2008 embarrassed ISL executives admitted in court paying an amazing $100 million in bribes to sports officials, mostly at FIFA, in return for lucrative contracts. One was for rights to sell World Cup TV to broadcasters, earning a reported commission of 25%.


http://www.transparencyinsport.org/World_Cup_Tickets_Disaster/world_cup_tickets_disaster(page3).html

That deal has also been inherited by Philippe Blatter’s Infront – in partnership with the Japanese Dentsu advertising and marketing agency. In 2008 a Dentsu executive was accused of taking more than £2 million in kickbacks from ISL.

Who are you Andy Campbell and why are you so keen to point our problems so gleefully. If you don't like us that's your problem but please stop already.

SA Media is a loose cannon rided by the wrong guys. FiFa is correct, sometimes you need this wing clipping. for the first time I fully understand the stand point of dictators. The media wants to sell irregardless of consequences. The Media was not balanced when reporting about SA FIFA WC, they were very negative with a bad motive.We had an awesome opportunity to sell our country for investements and tourism, the media blow it.

Andy Campbell....What is your point exactly? Sour grapes or just pure spitefull1

Seems the SA government and FIFA management are like two peas in a pod . The freedom of the SA media should be protected at all cost as it is the parachute preventing this country from falling into an ocean of corruption , self enrichment and the greed of the elite An ocean in which FIFA officials acting like hungry sharks feel very comfortable , why else the fear of a free press .

@Steve van Niekerk I like you comments boet you are a freedom fighter, "country from falling into an ocean of curruption", "Freedom of Expression". Anyway were you part of the MK, ANC or UDF, when the country was right there in an ecean of corruption, were you fighting the most corrupt, brutal, unhuman and evil Apartheid? if yes, I whould like to join you, fighting corruption by your side shoulder to shoulder.

Moxter if Fifa holds its tournament here in SA it is bound to our constitution: Fifa can't impose unconstitutional requirements on our media just as it can't further other unconstitutional issues eg. racism.

Fifa is quite correct in their imposition of constraints. This is probably one of the first World Cups where the hosts country's OWN citizens are sabotaging its own event!!!

Our own "information terrorists" are currently abusing our free speech rights in destructive attempts to spear the 2010 WC by whipping up hysteria locally and internationally with these recent HOAXES that appeared in M&G within the sapce of ONE week:
- "vests that prevent stab wounds" being marketed to international visitors
- etv's concocted interviews of potential criminals ready to assault tourists during the 2010 WC
- an overseas journalist "Sophie Bullion" allegedly being "brutalized" by local police when in reality there was no overseas coverage of this sensationalized incident

This dirty tricks campaign is reminiscent of the old apartheid regime. Fifa is unfortunately FORCED to resort to such measures. How else can you stamp out this disgraceful abuse of our free speech rights?