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Blatter says he will fight against 36 World Cup


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Blatter says he will fight against 36 World Cup teams

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/2003/06/11/108971-ap.html

BERLIN (AP) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter renewed his opposition to 36 teams at the 2006 World Cup, telling a German newspaper he would fight against adding four more countries as backed by South America.

"I'll fight to make sure that it stays at 32 teams and that the South Americans, without any infighting, understand this," the head of soccer's world governing body told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

The South American federation CONMEBOL, whose continent was stripped of a berth for 2006, has until June 28 to convince FIFA's executive committee of expanding the tournament against Blatter's opposition.

Among the supporters of Brazil and Argentina, chief backers of expansion, is Lennart Johansson, the head of Europe's soccer organization.

Blatter said he sees the present proposal being prompted by regional interests, unlike the expansion from 24 to 32 teams at the 1998 World Cup in France. He said that balanced the competition with an easily understandable eight groups of four teams,with the top two advancing.

"With 36 teams, it's completely sure that we won't find any magic formula that makes the competition transparent," Blatter said. "I'm sure we'll have 32 teams at the 2006 World Cup. I believe common sense and solidarity will triumph over regional interests."

A FIFA executive member, speaking to AP on condition of anonymity, said the organization is considering two different plans if expansion occurs, both revolving nine groups of four teams.

The group winners and the top five second-place teams would advance to the second round under the plan advanced by South America's soccer governing body. The other four second-place teams would go to a playoff, with the two winners advancing.

The other possibility, he said, would be for the top seven second-place teams to advance.

Blatter said Germany, host of the 2006 World Cup, would have to take a clear stance on whether it supports adding extra teams.

Germany has generally spoken out in opposition, but organizing committee president Franz Beckenbauer has also said he sees no problems with the logistics of adding six to eight matches under the various plans.

Blatter and other top soccer officials have said an expansion for the upcoming World Cup would present problems with existing television and sponsorship deals.

The Swiss also said he is considering running for a third term as head of FIFA, saying he thought he would be leaving an organization assured of a bright future.

"But now there's the decline of the global economy, the Sars virus and the war in Iraq. Everything is more difficult," Blatter said. "To leave now would be like refusing to face responsibilities."

"It has to start somewhere

It has to start sometime

What better place than here

What better time than now

All hell can't stop us now"

Guerilla Radio - Rage Against The Machine

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Here is the direct response from CONMEBOL President Nicol�s Leoz. The article is in Spanish (straight from Noticias Argentina), but I will try to translate some sections.

Leoz conf�a en aumento de plazas para Mundial de Alemania

Mi�rcoles 11 de Junio de 2003, 11:22

ANSA

ASUNCION.- El presidente de la Confederaci�n Sudamericana de F�tbol (CSF), el paraguayo Nicol�s Leoz, se mostr� muy confiado en que la FIFA ampliar� de 32 a 36 equipos el cupo de participantes para el Mundial de Alemania 2006.

"Enviamos a todas las confederaciones la propuesta y esperamos buenos resultados", dijo el m�ximo dirigente del f�tbol sudamericano, quien asegur� que el presidente de la UEFA, el sueco Lennart Johansson, "apoya firmemente" la iniciativa.

Tambi�n indic� que el sistema alterar� "muy poco" el plazo previsto para el desarrollo del torneo y que una de las alternativas es que de los 36 equipos se clasifiquen 16 para la fase final, tal como se prev� en el formato de 32 equipos.

El Comit� Ejecutivo de la FIFA, que preside el suizo Joseph Blatter, se reunir� a fines de este mes en Par�s para determinar finalmente la cantidad exacta de participantes en la Copa del Mundo que organizar� Alemania en 2006.

La CSF propone que se formen nueve grupos de cuatro, de los cuales pasar�an a octavos de final los primeros y siete de los nueve segundos.

De ampliarse el cupo, la CSF pretende que dos plazas sean para Europa, una a Sudam�rica y la restante que la disputen Asia y la Confederaci�n del Norte, Centroam�rica y Caribe de F�tbol (CONCACAF).

Leoz viajar� el s�bado a Francia para presenciar la Copa de Confederaciones y defender� la propuesta de la CSF en la FIFA junto con el brasile�o Ricardo Teixeira, titular de la Confederaci�n Brasile�a de F�tbol (CBF).

------------------------

Translation:

...The President of the South American Football Confederation, Nicholas Leoz, was very confident that FIFA will extend teams from 32 to 36 for this coming World-Cup in Germany 2006. "We sent to all the confederations the proposal and we are waiting for good results from the other confederations", claims the President of the South American Football Federation. Leoz also claims that the president of the UEFA, the Swedish Lennart Johansson, "supports" the initiative firmly. As for the system, Leoz indicates that it will alter "very little" the term anticipated for the development of the match and that one of the alternatives is that of the 36 teams 16 for the final phase are classified, as is anticipated in the format of 32 teams....

...Leoz will travel Saturday to France, together with Brazilian Ricardo Teixeira of the Brazilian Footbal Confederation, for the Confederation Cup. Both men will defend the South American proposal in the presence of all FIFA delegates who will be attending the Confederation Cup...

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Absolutely NOT. Ricardo Teixeira has now distance himself completely from Sepp Blatter ever since South America lost a World Cup spot to Australia. In fact, Teixeira has been quoted through the South American press of describing Sepp Blatter as being the "Back Stabber of RealPolitik." Furthermore, UEFA President Lennart Johansson despises Sepp Blatter so passionately. Let's remember that Johansson lost the FIFA Presidency to Sepp Blatter through a very controversial vote of which Johansson accuses Blatter of cheating in the most gross indecency. What Johansson wants now is revenge, and you know what is going to get it. Sepp it is pay back.

quote:Originally posted by Mimglow

Don't forget that Ricardo Teixeira is one of Blatter's lackies...one phone call from Sepp and he will withdraw his support.

Mimglow, Ottawa

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Where are the weapons of mass destruction?

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Luis, why are you so infatuated with this 36 team proposal? How does it better soccer? For the parties involved, it sounds like it has more to do with greed, than anything else.

"It has to start somewhere

It has to start sometime

What better place than here

What better time than now

All hell can't stop us now"

Guerilla Radio - Rage Against The Machine

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More news from South America. This time, the article is straight from Chile's El Mercurio Nacional (in Spanish). I will try to translate:

SUDAMÉRICA: EL PLAN PARA GANAR UN CUPO

Todos a hacer lobby

12 de Junio de 2003

La Conmebol tiene listo el proyecto que presentará a la FIFA para que el próximo Mundial se juegue con 36 equipos.

Sudamérica está en "tiempo de descuento" porque debe presentar el proyecto para ampliar el número de selecciones en el próximo Mundial de Alemania 2006, en el congreso de la FIFA que se realizará el 28 de junio en París.

La Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (Conmebol) ya tiene un proyecto que entregará al Comité Ejecutivo de la máxima entidad del balompié y que cuenta con el apoyo de la Unión Europea de Fútbol (UEFA) y de, según se filtró ayer desde Paraguay, Asia.

Argentina y Brasil encabezan la iniciativa para que Alemania 2006 se dispute con 36 países. Con ello, Sudamérica compensaría la plaza que perdió en la asamblea realizada en Madrid, el 17 de diciembre pasado.

La iniciativa sudamericana propone que las 36 selecciones se dividan en nueve grupos de cuatro equipos cada uno, en lugar de los actuales ocho. Los ganadores de cada zona pasarían automáticamente para la siguiente ronda, acompañados por los cinco mejores segundos clasificados por puntos. Los dos lugares restantes serían disputados por los otros cuatro mejores segundos.

El programa prevé una competencia de 34 días, apenas tres días más extensa que Corea del Sur y Japón 2002 y que los 33 días de Francia '98. El número de partidos se incrementaría de 64 a 72.

De todas maneras, los opositores a este proyecto sostienen que una Copa del Mundo con 36 equipos será muy larga e inviable.

Los dirigentes sudamericanos tienen tiempo hasta el 28 de junio, cuando el Comité Ejecutivo de la FIFA tratará el tema durante una reunión en París, escenario de la Copa Confederaciones. Un día clave para este lado del mundo porque en caso de ampliarse los cupos, Sudamérica pretende una plaza (con lo que aumentaría de cuatro a cinco), mientras que otras dos serían para Europa y la restante se la disputarían Asia y la Concacaf.

Nicolás Leoz viajará el sábado a Francia para presenciar la Copa de Confederaciones y se quedará para defender la propuesta en la FIFA junto con el brasileño Ricardo Teixeira, titular de la Confederación Brasileña.

Ayer, además, el presidente del fútbol chileno, Reinaldo Sánchez, entregó desde Asunción un dato no menor: "Todos los presidentes de las federaciones sudamericanas ya sabemos que tenemos que ir a París a fines de junio. Vamos a ir todos juntos".

Blatter, el gran opositor

El presidente de la FIFA, Joseph Blatter, expresó su oposición más enérgica a la ampliación de 32 a 36 equipos para Alemania 2006, que deberá ser debatida el 28 de junio en París.

El máximo dirigente anunció que combatirá hasta "estar seguro de que queden 32 equipos porque está en juego la credibilidad de la competición futbolística más importante y, por lo tanto, la necesidad de preservarla".

Esta es la más dura condena del suizo y fue hecha sólo 24 horas después de que el presidente de la Confederación Sudamericana, Nicolás Leoz, expresó que Europa apoya la propuesta.

El presidente de la FIFA dijo también que está evaluando presentarse para una nueva reelección para los comicios de 2006. Pero ahora la Conmebol - la más firme defensora de Blatter en su polémica reelección del año pasado en Seúl- está enfrentada con el dirigente suizo.

----------------------------

Translation:

...the president of Chilean Football Federation, Reinaldo Sanchez, has stated: "All the presidents of all the South American federations are all travelling together to Paris to defend the 36 expansion proposal...

...What caught my eyes on this article is the last paragraph: Blatter is up for re-election, and it is quite likely that he may lose the South American vote which he requires for re-election. In other words, Blatter is caught between a rock and a hard place... Blatter actually won the last election with the huge bloc of votes from CONMEBOL...

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It appears that EUROPE may vote against Sepp Blatter. They really want to oust this guy from office. Even Asia is in the same position. Why?? Because I remember reading over 4 months ago that certain delegations from Asia were accusing Blatter of corruption.

quote:Originally posted by Mimglow

...and CONCACAF, OFC, Asia and Africa...the only federation Blatter does not have in his pocket is Europe.

Thanks for the translating, Luis!

Mimglow, Ottawa

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Where are the weapons of mass destruction?

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