World Cup 2010: FIFA Expel Japanese Midfielder Honda In ‘Ambush Marketing’ Ploy
Posted on | June 28, 2010
Footballer Keisuke Honda (right) has been controversially sent home from the World Cup in what FIFA have described as “a grossly vile attempt by the player at scoring an advantage for his nameske company”.
The 24-year old midfielder’s expulsion comes after attempts by football’s governing body and the Japanese FA to work out a compromise broke down yesterday evening.
A spokesman for FIFA confirmed that the Japanese football federation was approached with suggested alternative names for the player, including Keisuke Kia, Keisuke Hyundai, Keisuke Kia/Hyundai and Keisuke Sony.
When all these suggestions were rejected by the player, due to what FIFA described as “some misguided sense of honour and family loyalty” they took the step of calling for the player to be withdrawn.
This development follows the removal of a group of 36 Dutch women from the crowd of Holland’s match against Denmark at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg two weeks ago after a supposed “ambush marketing” campaign.
The girls were arrested by the South African police, resulting in worldwide coverage of the event and massive amounts of advertising for Bavaria Beer – Holland’s Premium Beer™ – at the expense of the other one…you know, the one that pays millions to FIFA every year to advertise with them.
Though the controversy is still ongoing, some online conspiracy theorists have already put forward alternative motives for FIFA’s actions. One member of the internet community boredom.ie suggested that FIFA wanted to scupper any chance Japan might have of actually winning the World Cup by removing one of the team’s free-kick specialists.
“Sepp Blatter is a notorious racist,” claimed donald_f*ck, “…he’s always going on about how he doesn’t want the slanty eyes to do well…”
Another poster, fifarep, supported FIFA’s actions. “You can’t have some guy thinking he can use his own name if that name isn’t a FIFA Partner, FIFA World Cup Sponsor or national sponsor. He should just change it and get over himself! If he loved his country he would!”
It has also been suggested by some media sources in Japan that the South Korean government through Hyundai/Kia have asked for the player to be removed for “commercial reasons” however in private it is to ensure that South Korea would have an easier time of overcoming Japan should they meet in the later stages of the competition.
FIFA are not new to such controversies however. In previous World Cups FIFA have also come into conflict with players and national federations over supposed “ambush marketing” most notably in Italia ’90, where Karl Heinz Riedle, representing West Germany, was asked to change his name as one of FIFA’s sponsor at the time was Batchelors Beans.
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