World Cup Newsdesk - Dutch Women in Ambush Marketing Stunt Walk Free

(WFI) Johannesburg prosecutors today dropped all charges against two Dutch women accused of an ambush marketing stunt at the Holland v Denmark match at Soccer City stadium last week.

Barbara Castelein and Mirte Nieuwpoort were delighted with the verdict announced at the Johannesburg Magistrates Court.

“We are happy to go home and that the situation has been resolved”, they said in a joint statement released by FIFA.

The pair were among a group of 36 women who wore skimpy orange dresses with small beer logos in the ambush marketing raid by brewer Bavaria. The group was removed from Soccer City for breaching FIFA's commercial regulations. Castelein and Nieuwpoort had their passports confiscated and were bailed to return to court today.

FIFA said today it had reached a "settlement agreement" with Bavaria "which means that all parties have agreed to drop any claims and also not to make any further comments related to this matter".

"Bavaria N.V. has agreed to fully respect the integrity of FIFA’s commercial programme until the end of the year 2022," the statement added.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Last week, FIFA launched legal proceedings against Bavaria in order to protect Budweiser, the official World Cup beer.

The Dutch government condemned FIFA and South African police for the arrests, saying they were "absurd" and "disproportionate".

Final group games get under way
Teams in Groups A and B have the chance to book their places in the knockout stages later today.

Group A joint-leaders Uruguay and Mexico meet in Rustenburg. Both countries need only a draw to qualify for the round of 16.

France and South Africa play at Free State Stadium in Mangaung/Bloemfontein. Both must win to stand a chance of going through. A victory for either Uruguay or Mexico in the other match would help their prospects of progressing.

Pride is at stake for Bafana Bafana who will hope to avoid becoming the first ever World Cup host nation not to qualify for the knockout stages.

In the 8.30pm kickoffs, Nigeria play South Korea in a match that could decide the runners-up spot in Group B.

A win or draw for South Korea would secure their passage to the next phase. Nigeria are pointless and are playing for pride.

Greece will need better South Korea's result to get beyond the group stage against an Argentina side in good form who are already through.

Pitch problems in Port Elizabeth
England have Slovenia's preparations for Wednesday's crunch match in Port Elizabeth have been hampered by the poor state of the pitch in Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Both teams were told today they could not train on the pitch, which has cut up badly after staging four matches in nine days.

Heavy rain and too much sand in the field construction is blamed for its poor condition.

Turf experts say the pitch will be rolled extensively to compact the sand and loose top surface ahead of the match.
Four more World Cup games are due to take place at the Port Elizabeth venue.

Ambitions for 2011 Women's World Cup
Steffi Jones, president of the 2011 Women’s World Cup organizing committee, has laid out her ambitions for the tournament which will be staged in Germany.
 
Speaking at Soccer City this morning, Jones said she hoped for full stadiums and to give women’s football “a push worldwide".
 
“My hopes are that we really achieve our goals,” said the former German international defender.

“For full stadiums, to give women’s football a push worldwide and so that all the other nations can participate. If we’re successful then they can follow.”

Jones, a three-time winner of the European Championships as well as the World Cup in a 14-year international career that ended in 2007, praised the inroads made by women’s football.
 
“We have a young history, but what we have achieved so far is really, really outstanding,” she said.
 
“I think with the next World Cup we have an opportunity for more countries to experience. You need games to make them experienced.
 
“World Cups also give host nations a really, really big push and a hook.”

By INSIDER editor Mark Bisson and James Corbett in Johannesburg

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