Australia bid to charm FIFA with cartoon kangaroo
Reuters - Wednesday 01 December 2010, 13:51
ZURICH - Australia used a cartoon kangaroo
to try to convince FIFA's executive committee to award them the
2022 World Cup as they boldly veered away from the more staid
format of typical presentations on Wednesday.
The light-hearted film took up roughly one third of
Australia's presentation which lasted four minutes under the
maximum permitted half-hour.
The film started with the kangaroo sneaking into FIFA
headquarters in the dead of night and stealing the World Cup
trophy.
It then reappeared in Australia, parading the trophy around
the country's top tourists spots, gathering followers on the way
in the style of film character Forrest Gump.
At one stage, the kangaroo raced Australian Olympic 400
metres champion Cathy Freeman along a highway before it was
finally apprehended by a motorcyclist played by comedian Paul
Hogan.
The presentation included a cameo appearance by supermodel
and actress Elle Macpherson, having begun with a short speech by
Governer-General Quentin Bryce.
It also included a speech by Frank Lowy, who arrived in the
country with one suitcase in the 1950s to become one of the
country's richest men. He heads the Australian bid.
In a more orthodox vein, Australian FA chief Ben Buckley
told FIFA they would be giving the World Cup to a safe pair of
hands. "Australia has served a lengthy apprenticeship and is
ready to host the world's biggest event... beyond your
expectations and beyond your imagination," he said.