No irregular betting activities in first phase of World Cup preliminary competition
FIFA Early Warning System GmbH has confirmed that were no irregular betting activities during the first phase of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ preliminary competition. It can therefore be concluded that there have been no attempts from betting circles to influence or manipulate approximately 90 matches that have been played since August 2007. In recent months, leading bookmakers, betting operators and betting organisations have signed up to the early warning system and pledged to report any incidences of irregular betting patterns.
FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, speaking in the light of recent suspicious activity in other competitions, is pleased by these initial results: “The FIFA early warning system passed its first test in 2006 and has since been introduced across the board, and that means that we now have an efficient means of supervising and controlling betting activities.”
He is, however, worried by recent developments. “This is a serious threat to football. FIFA expressed concern at recent developments in UEFA’s competitions. We have no doubt, however, that UEFA will do everything in its power to resolve the problem. FIFA is of course offering a helping hand by making the early warning system available to all confederations and associations.”
This system will be developed further in the months ahead. The objective is to conclude cooperation agreements with the entire bookmaking and betting industry for the early warning system so that those individuals who attempt to manipulate matches for betting purposes will no longer be able to do so. By signing up to the early warning system, bookmakers and betting providers pledge to help FIFA pursue its objective of safeguarding football’s integrity by protecting it from negative influences from betting circles.
Early Warning System GmbH, a company based in Zurich, has been operational for the past six months. Its objective is to detect irregular activities in football betting circles and inform FIFA in advance of any possible attempts to influence matches. The early warning system was first tested at all 64 matches of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Germany. The positive experiences gained prompted the FIFA Congress to formalise the early warning system in late May 2007 and to employ it once again to supervise the preliminary and final competitions of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa.
2010 plans upset South Africa’s taxis
By Lucy Fleming BBC News
As South Africa rolls out new buses in Johannesburg ahead of the 2010 football World Cup, thousands of minibus taxi-drivers in Cape Town want to put the brakes on a similar plan to revamp the coastal city’s transport system.
They fear the government’s intentions to improve transport for football fans and leave what has been termed a “legacy project” in the cities hosting the tournament will cost them their jobs.
They only care about their pockets
Minibus taxi passenger
“This soccer World Cup seems like it is coming to just chop our necks off, because it’s taking our bread from the table. They’ll push us out of a business,” says Mandla Mata, chair of the Western Cape National Taxi Alliance (WCNTA).
But the City of Cape Town says such worries are unfounded and the World Cup is an opportunity to introduce a bus-based public transport system that is reliable, scheduled and safe, while improving services to some areas.
This would be a relief to many commuters who feel their needs and safety are not always central to the taxis.
“They only care about their pockets,” one passenger travelling between Khayletsha and Bellville said, pointing out that the window next to him could not open.
“You mustn’t trust these guys if they lose their temper,” he added – and related a story about how a female passenger lost her eye after she was attacked by a driver for not having the fare.
Improved public transport may also encourage drivers to leave their cars at home, which would help ease the city’s terrible rush-hour traffic jams.
Taxi drivers worry about their future as they eat breakfast
City planners have said Cape Town’s Integrated Rapid Transport (IRT) system will be based on the existing minibus and bus industries.
“They will be the drivers of the system. In the first phase we want them to form two companies – so we have a competitive element – and they operate the IRT system for the city – the feeder buses and the trunk routes,” explains City of Cape Town spokeswoman Kylie Hatton.
Minibus owners would be given shares in a company based on their current market share.
And if anything, Ms Hatton says, the IRT would mean drivers who work long hours without holiday and sick leave will be better off.
“They’ll be moving into a system where they will have fixed working hours and it won’t be passenger-based system, it’ll be a kilometres-travelled system.”
The financial pressure to make as many trips as possible is seen as one factor in the minibus taxis’ poor safety record.
Apartheid legacy
At Bellville taxi rank, about 20km from Cape Town city centre, one driver admitted it would be good to work an eight-hour day instead of the 12 to 16 hours most work.
Lack of regulation has allowed the space for a certain lawlessness to creep in – that needs to be dealt with
Kylie HattonCity of Cape Town spokeswoman
But the general belief amongst the drivers chatting by their buses and eating breakfast after the morning rush hour was that they could not trust any dictum from on high.
“We’re not interested in IRT – they want to take over our transportation,” said one driver, who had been up since 3.00am.
“They’re taking away what has belonged to us for so many years,” another said.
This ownership of the industry seems to be at the crux of problem for the City of Cape Town.
The minibus taxi industry was one of the few areas of the economy that black business was allowed to run under apartheid.
And taxi operators guard their hard-fought independence and self-regulation with pride.
Mr Mata says each route, which can have up to 50 owner-operators each with between six and 10 vehicles, is run by an association.
Vendors fear their business will also be affected by the IRT
They ensure that drivers, who get about 25% of their bus’s takings, only ply one route to avoid the fierce battles over territory that have given the industry such a bad reputation.
Strict rules also apply in the ranks so that drivers cannot jump the queue.
Yet 15 years since the end of apartheid, the relationship between the minibus taxis and the government are still fraught.
Taxi-owners complain that a government initiative to scrap older vehicles for newer, safer models by subsiding loans did not materialise for many.
This so-called recapitalisation scheme and what taxi-drivers see as harassment from the police checking permits and safety has left them even more distrustful of the authorities.
“I understand the sensitivities,” says Ms Hatton.
“But unfortunately it is an industry that has been largely unregulated – that lack of regulation has also allowed the space for a certain lawlessness to creep in as well – and that needs to be dealt with.”
“Approximately 40% of taxi drivers in the city operate without a permit,” she says.
Buses are not timetabled and only leave when full
Negotiations are ongoing between the WCNTA and transport officials to tackle such problems, but Mr Mata says they should not see this as a nod from his members to the IRT.
He says their main opposition to it stems from the fact that they have not been included at the planning stages.
“They say it’s going to happen whatever, like it or not,” Mr Mata says.
“If they can’t listen to us then it is not a democracy – it’s despotism; it’s like the last generation when they decided everything for you.”
Ms Hatton urges patience and says the IRT will be phased in slowly.
After the introduction of rapid bus link between the airport and city centre this year, a pilot project will be rolled out along the poorly serviced west coast.
You can see that it is not promises that they can fulfil
WCTA’s Mandla Mata
Only after this – in 2011 or 2012 – will other Cape Town routes will be affected.
“There is no big bang approach – there’s no attempt to put people in financial stress,” she says, adding that most of the transport industry is on board and it is only a minority who oppose the scheme.
It is difficult to come by numbers, but Mr Mata says his alliance represents about 152 routes – with more than 45,000 drivers – and their support is growing.
It has held several strikes this year bringing misery to commuters, especially those living in townships around Cape Town who rely on taxis to get to work.
The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) recently called off a national strike in protest at the similar Johannesburg bus system following warnings from the government.
But Mr Mata says in the Western Cape more taxi stayaways are on the cards before the World Cup kicks off.
“They are promising a lot of promises but you can see that it is not promises that they can fulfil – they’re just blinding us.”
Soccer in South Africa
Brad Morgan
var addthis_pub=”southafricainfo”;
var addthis_options = ‘favorites, facebook, digg, delicious, google, stumbleupon, live, yahoobkm, twitter, more’;
Football – or soccer, as we call it – is the most widely played sport in South Africa, with its traditional support base in the black community. For many South Africans the country’s proudest sporting moment came when we won the African Nations Cup on home turf in 1996.
Soccer is intensely followed, and the quality of the local game keeps improving – as demonstrated by the increasing number of South African players-in-exile among the glamorous European clubs.
Local teams, organised in a national league plus a plethora of knock-out cups, are followed with passion by paint-daubed, costumed, whistling and cheering fans. Mercifully, the country has been spared the spectre of football hooliganism.
There’s probably no quicker way to “break the ice” with the South African man on the street than to demonstrate some knowledge of local soccer. To help you improve your conversational skills, here’s a crash course on the country’s most important teams and competitions.
Bafana Bafana
Banyana Banyana
Glamour clubs
Premier Soccer League
Knockout competitions
First Division
BAFANA BAFANA
One of the first gifts that democracy brought South Africa was its first truly representative national soccer team.
In 1992, the united South African team came into being, playing Cameroon in its first match in Durban on 9 July. It was a triumphant occasion for the side that came to be known as Bafana Bafana – “The Boys” – as they edged the West African powerhouse by a goal to nil.
However, the win concealed the negative effect that apartheid-enforced isolation had had on local soccer. This lack of international experience showed as South Africa lost four matches in a row – to Cameroon, Zambia, Nigeria and Zambia – in failing to qualify for the 1994 African Nations Cup.
African champions
When South Africa hosted the 1996 African Nations Cup, however, South Africa proved they belonged in the finals by defeating Tunisia 2-0 in the final. It was during the team’s run to the title that its nickname, “Bafana Bafana”, became known around the world.
Nelson Mandela leads the celebrations as Neil Tovey lifts the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations.
Shortly after being crowned African champions, Bafana Bafana took on world champions Brazil in Johannesburg. Buoyed by a fearless home crowd, the South Africans went two goals up before the Brazilians fought back to win the match 3-2.
Two World Cups
Bafana Bafana reached another milestone in 1997 when they qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time. In France the following year, South Africa lost to the hosts – who went on to win the Jules Rimet Trophy – before drawing with Denmark and Saudi Arabia.
In the same year, Bafana Bafana appeared in their second African Nations Cup, making it through to the final where they lost 2-0 to Egypt.
In 1999, Bafana Bafana beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 on aggregate to lift the Afro-Asian Trophy. The side also recorded its first win over European opposition, beating Sweden in Pretoria by a goal to nil.
In 2000, Bafana Bafana reached the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup, where they were beaten by Nigeria. The South Africans went on to finish third, defeating Tunisia on penalties after playing to a 2-2 draw.
It was at the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, however, that Bafana Bafana showed their true potential. While they failed to progress beyond the first round, their five goals scored in one win, one draw and a thrilling 3-2 loss against Spain showed the world that South Africa belonged on football’s biggest stage.
Big drop-off
South Africa lost to fired-up hosts Mali in the quarterfinals of the 2002 African Nations Cup.
In 2003, however, there was a big drop-off in Bafana Bafana’s performances, and they failed to progress beyond the first round of the 2004 African Nations Cup after losing four-nil to Nigeria.
The slide continued in 2005, and South Africa’s national team hit an all-time low when they were eliminated in the first round of the 2006 African Nations Cup after being beaten in all three group matches and failing to score a goal.
Big-name coach
Having won the right to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup, the South African Football Association went after a big-name coach to ensure that the country’s team, guaranteed a place in the event, does not disappoint its fans.
Carlos Alberto Parreira, Brazil’s 1994 World Cup winning coach, was tasked with getting the national team back on track.
Parreira achieved his first goal when South Africa qualified for the 2008 African Nations Cup in Ghana. Once more, the team bowed out after the first round of the continental championship, but there were some promising signs after their disastrous campaign in Egypt in 2006.
South Africa’s group was the most tightly contested in the tournament, with four of the six matches ending in draws; so it was that one loss for Bafana Bafana was enough to see them eliminated.
After Bafana Bafana’s best result under Parreira, a stylish 3-0 defeat of Paraguay in Pretoria in March, the Brazilian abruptly resigned in April 2008, returning home to support his wife, who had undergone surgery for cancer.
Joel Santana
His replacement was another Brazilian, recommended by Parreira: Joel Santana. A man with an excellent record in Brazilian club football, Santana lacks international experience, but his new-look Bafana squad are showing signs of real promise.
They were desperately unlucky to lose 1-0 to Nigeria in their final qualifying match for the 2010 African Cup of Nations, played in September 2008. That result means that, for the first since 1996, South Africa will not contest the African Nations Cup in 2010.
Since then, however, Bafana have secured four friendly international victories against Cameroon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea and Malawi.
The 3-2 win over Cameroon in November 2008 was South Africa’s best of the year, not only because of the Indomitable Lions’ high ranking (14th in the world, 1st in Africa), but also because of the style of football played by Santana’s charges.
It’s that kind of form that Bafana Bafana will have to take with them into the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 Fifa World Cup, if they are to measure up to the high expectations of their fans.
BANYANA BANYANA
South Africa’s senior women’s team, Banyana Banyana – “The Girls” – have traditionally been the strongest team in southern Africa and one of the best in Africa.
There is, however, one hurdle that Banyana have yet to overcome: Nigeria. Had it not been for the West African powerhouse, South Africa’s women would have laid claim to the number one ranking in Africa a number of times in recent years.
Banyana Banyana were crowned Cosafa (Confederation of Southern African Football Associations) champions in 2002 and 2006. In continental competition, the team finished runner-up to Nigeria at the CAF African Women’s Championship in 2000, and second at the All Africa Games in 2003 and 2007.
GLAMOUR CLUBS
Kaizer Chiefs
South Africa’s favourite soccer club never seems to play an away match. “The Amakhozi” often draw more supporters at away games than their opposition.
Founded in 1970 by Kaizer Motaung – who made his name in the United States when the American league was drawing such superstars as Pele, Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer – Kaizer Chiefs are one of South Africa’s most successful teams.
Twice the winners of South Africa’s Premier Soccer League since its launch in 1997, Chiefs secured their first African title in 2002 when they won the Cup Winners Cup – renamed after Nelson Mandela – by defeating Inter Luanda of Angola in the final.
Orlando Pirates
Formed in 1937, Orlando Pirates has a support base extending across the country’s borders.
Two-time winners of SA’s Premier Soccer League since its launch in 1997, “The Buccaneers” are the only South African team so far to have won Africa’s premier club competition, the Champions League, a feat they achieved in 1995.
Like Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates seldom are disadvantaged when they play away from home, with fanatical supporters spread throughout South Africa.
The fierce traditional rivalry between Pirates and Chiefs makes for one of the biggest derby matches in the world. In November 2007, on the day preceding the 2010 Fifa World Cup draw in Durban, the Chiefs-Pirates derby was broadcast throughout Africa and 43 European countries, a first for South African football.
Mamelodi Sundowns
While Chiefs and Pirates have long battled for the title of South Africa’s most popular club, a third outfit has emerged as a challenger for the position: Mamelodi Sundowns.
Backed by mining magnate Patrice Motsepe, a billionaire, “The Brazilians” have the finances to ensure a squad with depth and quality. The club is often compared to England’s Chelsea, which rose to prominence partly through the backing of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
Sundowns have been the most successful team since the formation of the Premier Soccer League in 1997, winning the title on five occasions.
PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE
South Africa’s top soccer league, featuring the country’s best 16 clubs, came into being in 1997.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has helped raise the standard of club football in South Africa, providing the sport with better media coverage and much-improved revenue through strong sponsorship deals. It has also provided a platform for local players to make their mark and catch the eye of overseas clubs.
Sponsorship boom
In June 2007, the PSL pulled off an astounding coup when it signed a R1.6-billion broadcast deal with SuperSport International.
In August 2007, corporate heavyweights South African Breweries (SAB) and Absa Bank announced a joint sponsorship of more than R500-million over the next five years for South African football. SAB is behind Bafana Bafana, while Absa sponsors the PSL’s Premier Division.
In February 2008, Nedbank announced that it would be putting up R20-million in prize money for the Nedbank Cup knockout competition as part of a five-year, R400-million sponsorship of the local game.
And in August 2008, cellular giant MTN committed the same amount – R400-million over five years – to the local game, while taking over the title sponsorship of the Top 8 knockout tournament.
These deals combined have made South Africa’s Premier Soccer League the seventh biggest earner of sponsorship revenue among football leagues worldwide.
Ups and downs
Manning Rangers, coached by Gordon Igesund, stunned all and sundry by winning the inaugural PSL title ahead of a number of more fancied opponents in 1997. Then, from 1998 to 2000, Mamelodi Sundowns pulled off a hat-trick of titles.
In 2001, Igesund moved to Orlando Pirates and helped “The Buccaneers” secure the title. The following season he repeated the trick with Cape Town-based Santos.
Pirates won the league for the second time in 2003, followed by arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs in 2004 and 2005.
In 2006, Igesund was appointed manager of Sundowns and was quickly spinning his magic once more, winning a fifth title for “The Brazilians” and becoming the first coach to win the championship with four different clubs.
That didn’t prevent Igesund from getting the sack in February 2008, however, following a poor run of results. When it comes to passionate fans, high stakes and heated debates, South Africa’s Premier Soccer League is up there with the best of them!
In May 2008, SuperSport’s support of the game, through both television broadcasting and sponsorship, was rewarded when SuperSport United captured the PSL title for the first time.Premier Soccer League champions:
2008/09: SuperSport United
2007/08: SuperSport United
2006/07: Mamelodi Sundowns
2005/06: Mamelodi Sundowns
2004/05: Kaizer Chiefs
2003/04: Kaizer Chiefs
2002/03: Orlando Pirates
2001/02: Santos
2000/01: Orlando Pirates
1999/00: Mamelodi Sundowns
1998/99: Mamelodi Sundowns
1997/98: Mamelodi Sundowns
1996/97: Manning Rangers
KNOCKOUT COMPETITIONS
A number of knockout competitions are played alongside the league fixtures in South African soccer.
Nedbank Cup
A knockout competition modelled on England’s famous FA Cup, giving lower league teams the chance to do battle with premier league clubs, has been in existence since 1978, under various names: the Mainstay Cup (1978-1987), Bobsave Superbowl (1988-2002), Absa Cup (2003-07) and, from 2008, the Nedbank Cup.
With a total prize purse of R19.3-million, including R6-million for the winners, R2.5-million for the runners-up and R1-million for the losing semi-finalists, the Nedbank Cup is the most lucrative domestic soccer competition in Africa.Cup champions:
2009: Moroka Swallows
2008: Mamelodi Sundowns
2007: Ajax Cape Town
2006: Kaizer Chiefs
2005: SuperSport United
2004: Moroka Swallows
2003: Santos
2002: not played
2001: Santos
2000: Kaizer Chiefs
1999: SuperSport United
1998: Mamelodi Sundowns
1997: not played
1996: Orlando Pirates
1995: Cape Town Spurs
1994: Vaal Professionals
1993: Witbank Aces
1992: Kaizer Chiefs
1991: Moroka Swallows
1990: Jomo Cosmos
1989: Moroka Swallows
1988: Orlando Pirates
1987: Kaizer Chiefs
1986: Sundowns
1985: Bloemfontein Celtic
1984: Kaizer Chiefs
1983: Moroka Swallows
1982: Kaizer Chiefs
1981: Kaizer Chiefs
1980: Orlando Pirates
1979: Kaizer Chiefs
1978: Wits University
MTN 8
The MTN 8 – formerly the Top 8 and Supa 8 – is contested at the beginning of each Premier Soccer League season by the top eight finishers of the previous season.
Now known as the MTN 8 Knockout, after cellular operator MTN took over the title sponsorship, the tournament boasts a R8-million winner-takes-all prize – while guaranteeing each team R800 000 simply for participating.Top 8 champions:
2008: Kaizer Chiefs
2007: Mamelodi Sundowns
2006: Kaizer Chiefs
2005: Bloemfontein Celtic
2004: SuperSport United
2003: Jomo Cosmos
2002: Santos
2001: Kaizer Chiefs
2000: Orlando Pirates
1996: Orlando Pirates
1995: Wits University
1994: Kaizer Chiefs
1993: Orlando Pirates
1992: Kaizer Chiefs
1991: Kaizer Chiefs
1990: Mamelodi Sundowns
1989: Kaizer Chiefs
1988: Mamelodi Sundowns
1987: Kaizer Chiefs
1986: Arcadia
1985: Kaizer Chiefs
1984: Wits University
1983: Orlando Pirates
1982: Kaizer Chiefs
1981: Kaizer Chiefs
1980: Witbank Black Aces
1979: Moroka Swallows
1978: Orlando Pirates
1977: Kaizer Chiefs
1976: Kaizer Chiefs
1975: Moroka Swallows
1974: Kaizer Chiefs
1973: Orlando Pirates
1972: Orlando Pirates
Telkom Knockout
The Telkom Knockout competition, which features all 16 Premier Soccer League teams on a knockout basis, is African football’s second most lucrative domestic competition after the Nedbank Cup.
The competition was first held in 1992 and has existed under a number of different names, including the Coca-Cola Cup and the Rothmans Cup.
Telkom became the new sponsors in 2006, and in 2007 paid out R14.2-million in prize money, including R4.25-million to the winners.Cup champions:
2008: Ajax Cape Town
2007: Kaizer Chiefs
2006: Silver Stars
2005: Jomo Cosmos
2004: Kaizer Chiefs
2003: Kaizer Chiefs
2002: Jomo Cosmos
2001: Kaizer Chiefs
2000: Ajax Cape Town
1999: Sundowns
1998: Kaizer Chiefs
1997: Kaizer Chiefs
1996: Umtata Bucks
1995: Wits University
1994: Qwa Qwa Stars
1993: Umtata Bucks
1992: Amazulu
FIRST DIVISION
Below the Premier Soccer League, South African football’s First Division is divided into two – the Inland Stream and the Coastal Stream – with each stream made up of eight clubs.
At the end of each season, the winners of the two streams meet in a final, with a place in the Premier Soccer League at stake (replacing the team that finished last in the PSL). The second-placed team, however, still has a shot at making it into the PSL.
That club takes on the two second-placed finishers from the First Division, as well as the team that finished second-last in the PSL, in a mini-tournament, with the winner earning a place in the top league.
South Africa 2010: Absent Messi and Ronaldo?
Now that would be a tragedy. And yet, it seems quite likely.
The New York Times’ Rob Hughes writes about the tremendous pressure on both Messi and Ronaldo to win their next two games. Messi’s Argentina play Brazil (as Shourin has so carefully noted here) followed by Paraguay. Ronaldo’s Portugal have to play Denmark followed immediately by Hungary.
The prospects of both teams missing the World Cup seem rather high. And in my book, it’s a coaching issue on both fronts.
After Portugal lost Scolari things went steadily downhill.
And Argentina? What a tragedy it will be if Argentina don’t make it. And not for lack of talent.
Will Maradona end his coaching career in disgrace? Tune in tomorrow to find out.
Veron concerned by poor results
Veteran Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastien Veron claims under-fire team manager Diego Maradona is struggling to put together an efficient team of 11 players despite having a dearth of quality at his disposal.
Two-time champions Argentina last week slipped to fifth in the South American World Cup qualifying standings, a place below the automatic qualification slots, after conceding four defeats in their last five games.
While Maradona, who is still considered a football God in his native country, is spending this week in Italy at a spa resort, Argentine football chiefs have been holding crisis talks.
Veron meanwhile admitted in an interview with La Red radio station he was concerned about Argentina’s qualifying chances, and claimed that Maradona has picked players who are not on the kind of form needed to play for the ‘Albiceleste’.
“We’ve got great players but the coach (Maradona) hasn’t really unearthed his best team yet,” said Veron, a former Manchester United player who is now captain of Estudiantes in Argentina’s top division.
The last time Argentina, World Cup champions in 1978 and 1986, failed to make the finals was in 1970. After recent defeats to Brazil (1-3) and Paraguay (0-1), Veron believes they are in a precarious position.
“Anything could happen,” said the 34-year-old when asked whether Argentina were in danger of not qualifying.
“The fact is that there are players in the team who are not in their very best form.”
Veron highlighted Barcelona’s highly-regarded striker Lionel Messi, but defended the player by saying: “At Barcelona they play a game of short, quick passes which is different to the way Argentina play. Here, everyone expects Lio (Messi) to dribble through five players and then score a goal. But he can’t do everything himself.”
Maradona on Monday missed a meeting involving Argentina general manager Carlos Bilardo and Julio Grondona, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and vice-president of world governing body FIFA.
According to Argentine press reports, Grondona intended to ask Maradona to delegate more responsibility to Bilardo, who was the coach of Argentina in 1986 when Maradona captained the side to World Cup glory in Mexico.
Argentina host already-eliminated Peru on October 10 before travelling to neighbours Uruguay, who trail them by a single point, four days later.
Failure to finish among the top four would force Argentina into a two-leg play-off to secure their ticket for the finals in South Africa next summer.
