BEIJING: China’s chances of hosting a World Cup have risen thanks to property-to-entertainment conglomerate Wanda spending big to sponsor FIFA, the company’s chairman said Monday.
Wang Jianlin, one of China’s richest men, said his firm’s decision to become a top-level sponsor of football’s scandal-tainted governing body FIFA will “boost China’s chances of winning the host rights if the Chinese government decides to bid for it,” the official news agency Xinhua reported.
Wang also predicted that by the end of the year three Chinese companies would be top-tier FIFA sponsors.
China’s president Xi Jinping, himself a football fan, is pushing to make the nation into a football power despite its dismal national team, ranked 96th in the world by FIFA.
The leader has publicly declared his hopes that China will one day host and win a World Cup.
The corruption scandal engulfing FIFA has provided an opportunity for Chinese investors by driving away previous sponsors, Wang suggested.
“It was only because some sponsors canceled their contracts that other sponsors could step in,” he was quoted as telling reporters.
Under the FIFA deal, Wanda will have sponsorship rights to all FIFA competitions and corporate activities up to and including the 2030 World Cup. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Award to eliminate discrimination
FIFA says it will present a Diversity Award in July to honor work eliminating discrimination in soccer.
The 11 judges will include former FIFA presidential candidate Tokyo Sexwale, executive committee member Moya Dodd and transgender American Samoa player Jaiyah Saelua.
The award was suggested in 2013 by FIFA’s discrimination task force, whose work has stalled since the 2014 World Cup.
FIFA says the winner will be “an outstanding organization, group initiative or football personality that is standing up for diversity and anti-discrimination in football.”
To help tackle discrimination, FIFA asked its 209 member federations to submit an “action plan” by the end of this month.
FIFA wrote to members reminding them of their “responsibility to eliminate racism and discrimination in football within your jurisdiction.”
Algerian players banned
FIFA has extended four-year bans to apply worldwide for two Algerian players who tested positive for cocaine.
FIFA says a third player who tested positive for the stimulant methylhexaneamine also had his four-year ban extended globally.
The FIFA disciplinary committee added the international sanctions after all three cases were dealt with by the Algerian soccer federation.
Algeria international Youcef Belaili tested positive for cocaine after playing for USM Algers in an African Champions League match last August.
FIFA says the 24-year-old Belaili is banned through Sept. 19, 2019.
Rafik Boussaid of RC Arbaa, who also tested positive for cocaine, is banned through Sept. 20, 2019. Kheireddine Merzougui of MC Alger is banned through Jan. 24, 2020, for his methylhexaneamine case.
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