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NEWS > SPORTS > ONLY 38 KILLED IN WORLD CUP CELEBRATIONS
ONLY 38 KILLED IN WORLD CUP CELEBRATIONS
June 12 2010
Johannesburg, South Africa – The World Cup is without a doubt the biggest sporting event in the world. Bigger than the Olympics, way bigger than the Super Bowl, the World Cup is the premiere sporting event in the world. Arguably it is so big
and so all encompassing that it has surpassed even being a sporting event. With nations normally hostile to one another putting aside their differences for a few weeks to celebrate the spirit of sport, the World Cup is perhaps the only time that human beings can truly be at peace with one another.
While the winners and losers of the games will be decided on the pitch, the real story will be told off the field. As the first World Cup in Africa, in face the first global sporting event ever in Africa, the 2010 edition has already been a watershed moment, bringing the wealthiest nations of the world to experience how some of the poorest live. For soccer fans as well the games are a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to join in the biggest party human beings can throw. For South Africa the games are a showcase, a potential redeeming experience for a nation that has seen so much turmoil and blight. Now as the games finally kick off the South Africans are showing what they can do and with only 38 people killed on the first day, have started off with a bang.
“We are overjoyed with the success of the World Cup thus far. People have been civil and well behaved yet still as excited as they should be with the games. We are overjoyed that only a handful of people caused trouble and we expect that to be a part of a larger trend throughout the games,” said a FIFA spokesperson. “South Africa has already proven herself as one of the great World Cup hosts. The atmosphere, the organization, and the joyous feeling throughout the country are exactly what we expect from a host and exactly what the people of South Africa have given us.”
None of the deaths are directly linked to games but generally Friday night death tolls are considerably higher, though exact numbers are usually not retained.
“Everyone, absolutely everyone, was very nervous about these games and quite rightfully so. Putting them in such a troubled country with so many internal issues seemed like a very risky thing to do, particularly when there are nations without nearly the same concerns who were more than able to host the Cup,” said Scrape TV Sports analyst Mark Marvins. “Obviously those concerns have been proven wrong already. The opening ceremonies were fantastic and the people here have been warm and inviting. This is exactly what the World Cup is supposed to be about and it’s great that the people here have been able to put aside their issues and celebrate the game in the way in which it is supposed to be enjoyed.”
Analysts have long predicted that murder rates may decline for the first few days of the Cup but would then spike by about the third week.
“This is the first day and people are excited about the whole thing so that means that in the short term there will be a lot of good will. Eventually though the fervour will start to wane and people will get back to their regular lives and the murder rates will likely normalize. They may even increase, I’m sure all these extra people are going to cause more than a little frustration,” continued Marvins. “The trick is to not get murdered yourself. People are going to die but as long as you aren’t one of them you’re okay. The only thing to avoid is AIDS, which is quite a task unto itself.”
Deaths related to HIV and AIDS contracted at the World Cup will not officially be a part of the death toll. Strangulations will also be ignored, according to FIFA rules.
Alexi Orton, Sports Correspondent
NEWS > SPORTS > ONLY 38 KILLED IN WORLD CUP CELEBRATIONS
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