The FIFA President is planning strategies against the bets and will ask the referees to compromise not to bet during the World Cup. Blatter said he will personally direct the 23 referees to the tournament.
Blatter said he wants soccer to sow a good image during the World Cup. “30.000 million people will watch the 64 games and we have to make sure the referees do their job properly”. He also said he trusts some of the problems that occurred during World Cup 2002 won’t happen again.
The FIFA asked the company Early Warning GmbH to control soccer bets and to study every conduct and pattern.
The general secretary of the FIFA, Urs Linsi, said the new company will monitor every activity concerning bets, specially focused on the World Cup.
“We will study the market and look for signs of anything that may not be appropriate and, if we find anything, then we will act in consequence”.
Blatter commented that gambling is a part of society but it doesn’t have a place in soccer. “The problem is that soccer is a victim of its own popularity”.