Courtesy: Inside the games


"We're on the waiting list for the Olympics" says Blatter after futsal World Cup

Monday, 19 November 2012

by Duncan Mackay

November 19 - FIFA President Sepp Blatter will continue to try to get futsal or beach football on to the Olympic programme, he has promised.

Informal talks have already taken place between Blatter and Carlos Nuzman, the President of Rio 2016, about launching a campaign to get beach football on Copacabana at the next Olympics.

But the decision ultimately rests with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Blatter insisted he would be happy for any shortened version of the sport to be included.

"We already tried to bring in beach soccer to the Olympics, as we could use the same stadia they are using for beach volleyball," said Blatter after the final of the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Bangkok.

Futsal is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão, which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football" and is played on a hard surface delimited by lines.

Its inclusion at Rio 2016 would prove popular with the home supporters after Brazil lifted this year's World Cup with a 3-2 victory over Spain at the Huamark Indoor Stadium yesterday, the fifth time they have won the title.

It is unlikely that the IOC would include another version of a sport already does not struggle for recognition and, if they did, it would probably require FIFA agreeing to reduce the number of teams taking part in the main tournament.

"In football, we already have a privileged position, with 28 teams - 12 women's and 16 men's -participating in two tournaments at the Olympics," said Blatter.

"The demand is increasing, and futsal is one of the disciplines we are trying to get in.

"But for the time being, we are on the waiting list."






Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com