FIFA raps England & Germany over conferences
Reuters - Sunday 27 June 2010, 11:36
JOHANNESBURG - FIFA rebuked England on
Sunday 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."
Football'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 on Sunday.
"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.
"We've taken note of what has happened for both teams not
only England but England and Germany," he added.
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 which yielded little new.
Bevington told Reuters afterwards that he had fully complied
with FIFA regulations and Maingot said there were no
disciplinary provisions for such cases.
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