The Hindu : Expanded World Cup would be a mistake: Blatter

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 09, 2003

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Sport - Football

Expanded World Cup would be a mistake: Blatter

Berlin May 8. The FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, has revealed he opposes a pending decision by the organisation's executive committee to boost from 32 to 36 the number of countries participating at the 2006 World Cup finals.

FIFA, the world footballs governing body, said last Saturday in Geneva it would delay ratifying a decision on a potential increase for the tournament in Germany until next month — but has agreed to the expansion in principle.

Mr. Blatter, however, made his opposition plain in an interview with Kicker magazine here today.

``I am against 36 teams. The technical commission and the football commission (of FIFA) are opting for 32 teams — but the decision will fall to the executive committee,'' Mr. Blatter said.

``Up to now people have been talking about more places, but not about the consequences for television, marketing, the length of the tournament and the transparency of the calendar. All the contracts have been drawn up for a 32-team World Cup.

``With this initiative, the executive committee has therefore clearly made a mistake,'' said Mr. Blatter, who is fully aware that Franz Beckenbauer, the president of the German World Cup Organising Committee, is fiercely against a bigger tournament.

``Thirty six teams cannot be the model for the future — the current format of 32 is the best.''

The executive committee meeting, last Saturday at Geneva, put off ratifying the decision until a further meeting on June 28 and 29 in Paris and warned they would only ratify the move ``on condition that a match schedule be drawn up that ensured the sporting credibility of the event.''

Mr. Beckenbauer last weekend blasted the idea. ``They want an increase only if it's feasible in relation to the calendar, but there's no such possibility. This is a weak compromise,'' said Mr. Beckenbauer.

``To go from 36 teams to 16 for the quarterfinals is impossible, it won't work,'' added the dual World Cup winner.

Mr. Blatter stressed he had not fallen out with Mr. Beckenbauer. ``There is no conflict with Mr Beckenbauer. I just countered his allegation that our finances are not in order and his criticism that we are money-grabbing,'' said the Swiss.

Regarding Mr. Beckenbauer's threats that he might resign from the organising committee if there were 36 teams or further disagreements Mr. Blatter said he believed the pair could iron out their differences. ``He won't step down. It would be a great shame if he did.''

AFP

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