体坛英语新闻：FIFA hikes World Cup prize

JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- FIFA announced a 60 percent hike in prize money Thursday for next year's World Cup and the winners can bring home 31 million dollars.

    FIFA promised to offer frustrated Ireland "special compensation" for missing out due to French striker Thierry Henry's handball.

    Emerging from a historic meeting on Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and current South African President Jacob Zuma were both jailed during the struggle against apartheid, FIFA's executive committee approved an increase in prize money for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa from 261 million dollars to 420 million dollars.

 

FIFA president Sepp Blatter is pictured during a media briefing on Robben Island Dec. 3, 2009. The winners of next year's World Cup final in South Africa will collect 31 million U.S. dollars in prize money, FIFA said on Thursday after their Executive Committee meeting in the historic setting of Robben Island

    FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke announced that the winners would take home 31 million dollars while each of the 32 teams would receive at least 9 million dollars if they do not progress from the first round.

    Ireland won't get a cent, however, after losing in the playoffs when a Henry handball set up a vital equalizer for France by handball.

    FIFA president Sepp Blatter said that paying Ireland would lead to more countries demanding compensation for incorrect referees decisions. But he is considering some kind of special award or a prize for the Irish.

    FIFA's 24-man executive also turned down calls to restrict the 2012 Olympic men's soccer tournament to players 21 and under, and will stick with an under-23 format plus three overage players for the London Games.

    European governing body UEFA wanted the change to ensure that top players stay with their clubs during preseason training.

    But the current format is popular with the International Olympic Committee because it allows teams to select some of the game's biggest names to play for the gold medal.

    At the last Olympics in China, then 28-year-old midfielder Ronaldinho played for Brazil, 30-year-old midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme represented Argentina and 33-year-old striker Roy Makaay turned out for the Netherlands.

    Recognizing the rise and spread of women's international soccer, the executive committee also announced an expansion of the Women's World Cup from 16 teams from 24 in 2015, although no venue has yet been decided. In Germany in 2011 it will stay at 16 teams.