World Cup Stolen Again
Posted on 1 July 2010 by LynThomas in sports
Seven replica trophies, plus team garments and equipment, were stolen from FIFA’s temporary, but heavily secured offices in Johannesburg, the South African police reported.
The police also confirmed that 316 people, 207 of South African origin, have been arrested for World Cup-related crimes since the start of the tournament. Eight British citizens, 9 Algerians, 11 Ethiopians, 7 Nigerians, 6 Mozambique, 6 Zimbabwe, 6 Pakistan and 6 United States citizens have all been detained.
Meanwhile, the residence of Police Vice Minister Fikile Mbalula was robbed and expensive electronic equipment was stolen. Mbalula is one of the top officials in charge of security for the tournament.
Speaking in a phone interview, the Police chief, Bheki Cele, said the South African government has placed a huge premium on security since the World Cup started.
“You will hardly walk 500 meters without seeing police patrol around …and you cannot drive into the stadium area if you don’t have an accreditation and if you are not an official. So these are some of the things the government has done to make sure the security is tight and high.”
He said the robbery cases, even though disturbing, have however not affected the excitement of visitors and tourists.
“Only on Monday police shot two robbers and arrested four of them at a place not too far from the soccer city and that’s bad enough,” Atohengbe said.
Original World Cup Trophy
In 1966, the World Cup Trophy (insured for $60,000) was stolen from a public exhibition at Westminster Central Hall, four months before the FIFA World Cup in England.
The Chairman of the Football Association received a ransom note demanding $30,000 in small currency notes. Using scraps of paper, a ransom was put together, but the hand over was bungled.
A few days later a ‘package’ was discovered lying under a hedge, wrapped in old newspaper. It was the trophy. A petty thief and used car dealer was convicted of the theft.
The FA secretly manufactured a replica of the trophy for use in pre-match celebrations.
The real cup was stolen again in a daring robbery in 1983 in Rio de Janerio and never recovered. The Brazilian Football Confederation commissioned a replica of their own. The replica trophy was made by Eastman Kodak, using 3.97 pound of gold and finished in 1986.
Either way, after two thefts FIFA said enough was enough. It now keeps the “FIFA World Cup Trophy” and hands out the replica trophies to the champion nation.
The World Cup is the most famous trophy on earth. Other contenders include the Olympic gold medal, Nobel Prize, Stanley Cup and Posh Spice.
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1 July 2010
[...] Seven replica trophies of the FIFA World Cup, plus equipment and team garments, were stolen from FIFA’s temporary, but heavily secured offices in Johannesburg, the South African police reported. This is not the first time the World Cup has been stolen… [...]
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10 August 2010
[...] For more information about “Thieves Steal World Cup Again” , visit website http://www.tropicpost.com/world-cup-stolen-again/ [...]
these is spoiling african name the first time brought to africa in many years and now is been stolen. I pray they find it