FIFA blasts England in media uproar
Source: Agencies |
June 28, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FIFA rebuked England yesterday for only taking questions from British TV reporters in their pre-Germany match briefing which sparked resentment from foreign media who branded the camp as "arrogant."
Soccer's world governing body also rapped Germany whose coach did not appear to receive questions in their pre-match press conference ahead of the eagerly awaited second-round clash between the old rivals in Bloemfontein later yesterday.
"Fair play applies not only on the pitch but also off the pitch and this applies also for press conferences," FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot told reporters in Johannesburg.
"We've taken note of what has happened for both teams not only England but Germany, too."
FIFA guidelines say the coaches must hold a news briefing a day ahead of their matches. Even secretive North Korea's coach has taken questions from foreign media.
More than 250 journalists from around the world and 30 TV crews attended the England briefing on Saturday but were infuriated as the Football Association's head of media Adrian Bevington took only eight questions from hand-picked journalists for a five-minute briefing.
Giancarlo Galavotti, soccer correspondent of Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport who has reported on English soccer from London for more than 25 years, said: "That was typical. They do not seem to appreciate this is the World Cup, with the emphasis on the word 'World'.
Sort of arrogance
"The idea that the English set-up is not the friendliest among the top teams is reinforced by this sort of arrogance. And this, despite the coach being able to answer in three languages: Italian, English and Spanish. The FA do not seem to think the rest of the world is important."
Jorge Luiz Rodrigues of Brazil's O Globo newspaper was stunned by what he saw. "That was bad. This is the World Cup. This guy doesn't know what the World Cup is. He only asks for questions from his friends. This is not professional.
"If you go to Brazil you will have questions in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian.
"All the journalists have the same opportunity. And Brazil are five times champions, not once."
Bevington said that he had fully complied with FIFA regulations and Maingot said there were no disciplinary provisions for such cases.
In the five minutes access allowed to the wider world, journalists learnt that manager Fabio Capello knew his team - which he did not reveal - and that skipper Steven Gerrard was confident of victory.
Platitudes delivered, Bevington declared after five minutes and 12 seconds: "OK, everybody, thank you very much. I would like to invite the English Sunday newspapers to join us in a separate room."
Although Loew failed to appear before the media, too, he did speak to them for 45 minutes on Friday and the German FA, at least, gave reporters the chance to quiz goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke for 30 minutes on their preparations.
Soccer's world governing body also rapped Germany whose coach did not appear to receive questions in their pre-match press conference ahead of the eagerly awaited second-round clash between the old rivals in Bloemfontein later yesterday.
"Fair play applies not only on the pitch but also off the pitch and this applies also for press conferences," FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot told reporters in Johannesburg.
"We've taken note of what has happened for both teams not only England but Germany, too."
FIFA guidelines say the coaches must hold a news briefing a day ahead of their matches. Even secretive North Korea's coach has taken questions from foreign media.
More than 250 journalists from around the world and 30 TV crews attended the England briefing on Saturday but were infuriated as the Football Association's head of media Adrian Bevington took only eight questions from hand-picked journalists for a five-minute briefing.
Giancarlo Galavotti, soccer correspondent of Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport who has reported on English soccer from London for more than 25 years, said: "That was typical. They do not seem to appreciate this is the World Cup, with the emphasis on the word 'World'.
Sort of arrogance
"The idea that the English set-up is not the friendliest among the top teams is reinforced by this sort of arrogance. And this, despite the coach being able to answer in three languages: Italian, English and Spanish. The FA do not seem to think the rest of the world is important."
Jorge Luiz Rodrigues of Brazil's O Globo newspaper was stunned by what he saw. "That was bad. This is the World Cup. This guy doesn't know what the World Cup is. He only asks for questions from his friends. This is not professional.
"If you go to Brazil you will have questions in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian.
"All the journalists have the same opportunity. And Brazil are five times champions, not once."
Bevington said that he had fully complied with FIFA regulations and Maingot said there were no disciplinary provisions for such cases.
In the five minutes access allowed to the wider world, journalists learnt that manager Fabio Capello knew his team - which he did not reveal - and that skipper Steven Gerrard was confident of victory.
Platitudes delivered, Bevington declared after five minutes and 12 seconds: "OK, everybody, thank you very much. I would like to invite the English Sunday newspapers to join us in a separate room."
Although Loew failed to appear before the media, too, he did speak to them for 45 minutes on Friday and the German FA, at least, gave reporters the chance to quiz goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke for 30 minutes on their preparations.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
