FIFA awarded tax-free in Brazil to organize 2014 World Cup that establishes a series of exemptions from fed

BRASILIA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian government published on Tuesday in the official Gazette a law that establishes a series of exemptions from federal taxes for the FIFA to organize the 2014 World Cup and the Confederations Cup in 2013.

The exemption enters into force on Jan. 1, 2011, and is one FIFA's requirements to hold the World Cup in the country.

According to the law, for the preparation of the event, FIFA does not need to collect taxes on imported goods (IPI), the contribution to Social Security Financing (Cofins) on imported goods and services, and the Contribution to the Programs for Social Integration and Heritage Formation of the Public Servant ( PIS-Pasep) on imports.

However, the exemption for equipment and construction of the stadia to be used for training the teams in the World Cup's 12 host cities was not authorized by Brazil's Ministry of Finance.

The ministry said the exemption would allow "undue expansion of tax incentives to stadia with the purpose to offer support, whose characteristics deviate from the aims and the reasons justifying the granting of benefits."

According to Brazil's Ministry of Sports, the country gains with the Cup will be greater than the tax exemption granted to FIFA.

The Ministry states that the collection of taxes due to the economic movement generated by the event will amount to about 9.5 billion dollars, while the exemption is estimated at about 600 million dollars.

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World Cup highlights SA football year

fifacup2014bzil[Tuesday December 28,2010]
World Cup highlights SA football year
2010 was an outstanding year for South African football – and sport in general – but picking out the highlight is easy. It doesn't belong to any individual sportsman or woman or team, but to the country as a whole for the hugely successful hosting of the Fifa World Cup, played in Africa for the first time.

Fifa President Sepp Blatter declared the event "near perfect", and gave it a rating of nine out of 10.

Contrary to the stories of some doom mongers ahead of the playing of football's showcase event, the World Cup proved to be a massive success and, as the tournament progressed, South Africa and South Africans changed the perceptions of people from afar, leading to many football fans making a late move to join in the festive atmosphere of the tournament.

Stadiums
One thing that truly stood out about the World Cup was the world class standard of the stadiums, which surpassed any World Cup previously.

Johannesburg's FNB Stadium, known as Soccer City during the event, displayed the iconic African image of a calabash, while Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium dominated the city's beautiful beachfront skyline with its stunning arch, and the Cape Town Stadium impressed with its warm intimacy.

It was not just about those three stadiums, however, it was about all of them and another reason they shone was because of the fantastic support of local fans alongside the traveling hordes of overseas supporters.

There had been fears about the level of support that South Africans would give the event, but those worries proved unfounded as the nation took the World Cup to heart and the South African flag flew proudly throughout the event, buoyed by the very successful "Football Fridays" campaign.

Vuvuzela
And lest anyone forget, the World Cup introduced a new word to the English language: vuvuzela. The droning plastic trumpets became the sound of the World Cup, loved by some, hated by others.

Spain were crowned worthy champions after beating the Netherlands 1-0 in the final. No team could live with the Spaniards' splendid passing game and they dominated every match they played, even though they suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Switzerland in the group stages.

They recorded four straight clean sheets in the knockout stages, winning four matches by 1-0 margins, against Portugal, Paraguay, Germany, and the Netherlands. Frankly, the scores don't do Spain justice. They were far more dominant than that.

Bafana Bafana's success
The success of Bafana Bafana, after a poor 2009, played an integral role in securing the support of South Africans at the World Cup, and it carried over after the event as football enjoyed bigger crowds and a greater media spotlight.

Bafana Bafana played under Carlos Alberto Parreira at the World Cup, with the Brazilian coaching for a record sixth time in finals. After the completion of the World Cup, he stepped down and his place was taken by Pitso Mosimane, previously one of Parreira's assistants.

When Mosimane took over there was no let up as South Africa continued the good results achieved under Parreira and they finished 2010 leading their qualifying group for the African Cup of Nations 2012.

World ranking
As late as April, however, South Africa was ranked 90th in the Fifa World Rankings. By the end of the year Bafana Bafana had jumped 40 places to 50th, a position the team had last held in February 2006.

The team's overall record in 2010 was nine wins, six draws and two losses. For the first time in a while, Bafana recorded victories over teams ranked higher than them with some regularity. The results include defeats of France, Denmark, Colombia, and Ghana.

Siphiwe Tshabalala underlined the ability and quality of the national team in South Africa's World Cup opening match against Mexico at Soccer City when he scored with a stunning left-footed rocket. That goal has since been named one of Fifa's 10 Best Goals of the Year.

In November, Bafana Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena became only the second South African to be awarded the Freedom of the City of London after former President Nelson Mandela.

The award was in recognition of his achievements as a footballer, a leader, and the work done by the Aaron Mokoena Foundation, which works to identify and offer training, coaching and mentoring to talented young players at school level.

Banyana Banyana
The national women's team, Banyana Banyana, had an opportunity to shine at home when South Africa hosted the CAF African Women's Championship in November.

A loss to defending champions Equatorial Guinea in the semi-finals left Banyana facing Cameroon in a playoff for third and fourth and a 2-0 win secured third place. Nigeria beat Equatorial Guinea 4-2 to be crowned African champions.

Premier Soccer League
On the domestic front, SuperSport United claimed their third Premier Soccer League (PSL) title in succession under coach Gavin Hunt. It was a real feather in Hunt's cap as his squad has lost top players each year to other clubs.

SuperSport United defender Morgan Gould was named the PSL Player of the Year, while Daine Klate won the Absa Premiership Player of the Season award. He subsequently moved to Orlando Pirates. The Absa Premiership Players Player of the Season went the way of Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana striker Katlego Mphela.

Champions twice in one year!
Due to scheduling changes because of the World Cup, Kaizer Chiefs were able to win the Telkom Knockout Cup twice in the same year! The final of the 2009 competition took place in April, with the Amakhosi defeating Ajax Cape Town 2-1 in Durban. Then, in December, they won the 2010 competition with a 3-0 hammering of their great rivals, Orlando Pirates.

In addition, Chiefs won the invitational Telkom Charity Cup in August, beating Pirates 4-3 from the penalty spot in the final after the teams had played to a 1-1 draw.

Pirates tasted success in October when they lifted the MTN8 title after defeating Moroka Swallows in a penalty shootout in the final. The teams had been level at 1-1 after regulation time. The Buccaneers then triumphed 4-2 from the spot.

BidVest Wits officially open Soccer City on 22 May with a classy 3-0 victory over Amazulu in the final of the Nedbank Cup. The match drew 72 000 fans, which showed that the rebuilt stadium would be a popular drawcard.

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AFC chief supports moving 2022 World Cup to January

fifacup2014bzil[Tuesday December 28,2010]
AFC chief supports moving 2022 World Cup to January
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam backed the idea of moving the 2022 Fifa World Cup to be held in Qatar to January or February but said it was premature to discuss about it being co-hosted by other countries in the region.

“As a Qatari citizen I can assure you that our country is ready and willing to host a very comfortable World Cup in the summer season. We have presented solutions to heat challenges during June-July,” said Bin Hammam addressing concerns in several quarters after Qatar became the first Middle East country to be awarded the World Cup.

However, the Asian football chief did not entertain the idea of Fifa president Joseph Sepp Blatter that some matches could be staged in neighbouring countries such as UAE.

“It is absolutely the right of the hosting association if they want to share this success or competition with the others,”.Bin Hammam told reporters on the sidelines of the Dubai International Sports Conference held at The Address Hotel on Tuesday.

“I think it is actually premature. They (Fifa) should discuss with the executive committee who will be in place in 2018 may be if they want to do anything. I believe it is not the right time to speak about these things by Mr Blatter,” he said.

It was the first time any official from Qatar had talked about the subject of co-hosting the 2022 event since Blatter had stated during the Fifa Club World Cup held in Abu Dhabi that Qatar could invite other regional countries to stage some matches in a show of solidarity.

Top officials of the UAE Football Association told Emirates 247 earlier that they were willing and ready to do so but the invitation had to come from Qatar.

Nevertheless, Bin Hammam was willing to discuss the possibility of shifting the World Cup to the cooler months, an idea first mooted by Franz Beckenbauer and also supported by Blatter.

“I believe it is more a desire by national associations outside Asia, our region. Organising the World Cup in the middle of the season like January is a solution actually because players are going to be fit to play and entertain their fans,” he said pointing out that at the end of the season players are really exhausted after a long season after playing more than 60-70 games a year in the top leagues.

“So this is actually a requirement not by us but for the welfare of the players. Secondly January is also sort of dead season with most of leagues in Europe not playing with one or two exceptions. So it is not going to affect the leagues or clubs if they play World Cup in January,” he said.

“I presume that if the competition will be maintained in June-July it is going to be perfectly organised by the hosts. If it moves to January, I believe there will be sort of win win situation for all the parties,” said the AFC chief who outlined the Vision Asia projects during the conference.

England manager Fabio Capello weighing into the debate said it was impossible to play the World Cup in Qatar and called for it to moved to January or February.

“It is not easy for players to stay around in Qatar. This is a big problem not only for the training. When you play together for a long time you need to relax and do something different,” he said.

But he admitted it would be not easy to find a date other than during June-July.

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell congratulated Fifa for awarding it to Qatar and felt that new technology could resolve the problem of heat.

“Firstly I congratulate Middle East to have a World Cup. We consider that football is a global activity,” he said.
“In Spain during 1982 World Cup, I remember it was 40 degrees and nobody complained. In 2022 new technology will be there and stadiums will be air-conditioned,” said Rosell.

But he was against the event being moved to January or February. “I don’t like to break Spanish League because it is one of the leagues in Europe which has continuity in January,” he said.

AC Milan Executive Manager Umberto Gandini also lauded the Qatar World Cup 2022 decision by Fifa. “We are confident everything will be in order for a fantastic World Cup,” he said although aware of the concerns expressed by people like Capello.

“I understand the worries that everybody in the world of football such as players, coaches have about what it is going to be in June 2022 in Qatar. “Obviously we don’t know. For the time being we are very happy to say that the 2022 World Cup will be in Qatar in June-July and this is a fact,” said Gandini who addressed the club versus country in relation to the international calendar and player insurance along with Capello and Rosell.

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