WAN vs. FIFA (The people vs. Sepp Blatter?)
The World Association of Newspapers (WAN), the industry body that represents 18,000 newspapers worldwide, has issued a strongly-worded rebuke of FIFA after football's governing body pulled out of talks aimed at resolving a dispute over press coverage at this summer's World Cup.
As the WAN press release indicates: "FIFA has banned publication of World Cup photos through the Internet, including on thousands of newspaper web sites, during matches and has severely limited the number that can be published, regardless of time limits. It has also introduced editorial restrictions on how photographs can be used in print publications."
FIFA's rationale is that it needs to impose such limits on the information flow from matches in order to protect its commercial contracts with licensees. For the WAN, the football body's stance is "an interference in editorial freedom and independence and a clear breach of the right to freedom of information." It is also a slap in the face to publications that have made football 'the people's game' over many decades.
It seems that rather than the custodian of football, FIFA has become its landlord, building on our common land and renting it out to the highest bidder. No wonder more and more fans are turning their back on this corporate kickabout in favour of the 'punk football' of teams such as FC United of Manchester.
As the WAN press release indicates: "FIFA has banned publication of World Cup photos through the Internet, including on thousands of newspaper web sites, during matches and has severely limited the number that can be published, regardless of time limits. It has also introduced editorial restrictions on how photographs can be used in print publications."
FIFA's rationale is that it needs to impose such limits on the information flow from matches in order to protect its commercial contracts with licensees. For the WAN, the football body's stance is "an interference in editorial freedom and independence and a clear breach of the right to freedom of information." It is also a slap in the face to publications that have made football 'the people's game' over many decades.
It seems that rather than the custodian of football, FIFA has become its landlord, building on our common land and renting it out to the highest bidder. No wonder more and more fans are turning their back on this corporate kickabout in favour of the 'punk football' of teams such as FC United of Manchester.
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