Laws prepared for 2010 World Cup

The 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa Special Measures Bill was approved by the cabinet last month for submission to the national assembly. The bill is expected to be passed by the end of July.

The Sports and Recreation Events Bill, which is in response to the 2001 Ellis Park tragedy, will improve security arrangements for the 2010 World Cup. The national treasury will also introduce a money bill to address financial matters related to the tournament.

The special measures bill provides for the declaration of match venues, the issuing of visas and work permits, the playing of national anthems and the raising of foreign flags. It also suspends certain restrictions on the marketing, distribution and drinking of liquor at matches, allows for the sale of unregistered medicines and the accreditation of foreign teams' medical staff.

The bill extends the powers of the minister of trade and industry under the Merchandise Marks Act to enable the minister to declare the 2010 World Cup a protected event in order to safeguard recognised Fifa sponsors.

The special measures bill will also strengthen existing laws that outlaw ambush marketing, whereby products not sold by recognised sponsors are advertised at official venues. At the 2003 cricket World Cup in South Africa, an official broadcaster of the event, which had no advertising rights at matches, used spectators to hoist banners promoting its television channels. Prior to the cricket World Cup, the Merchandise Marks Amendment Bill was passed to prevent ambush marketing.

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