FIFA president Sepp Blatter assured international broadcasters today that they face no major problems stemming from the financial crisis of marketing firm ISMM.
"FIFA will ensure and guarantee the contracts you have signed ... whoever, whereever and with whom," Blatter told the first world broadcasters meeting on the 2002 World Cup finals to be co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.
ISMM (International Sports and Media and Marketing) and its subsidiary ISL Worldwide were ordered to be put into liquidation by a Swiss court two weeks ago but have appealed the ruling.
ISMM has the marketing rights for the 2002 and 2006 World Cup finals and ISL holds the television rights to the two events for all countries outside Europe.
The German media giant Kirch group has the television rights for Europe.
ISL and Kirch also equally own the Host Broadcast Services (HBS), which manages international broadcasting of the 2002 World Cup finals.
Blatter said Kirch had "taken over the financial guarantees which were to be given by ISL" concerning HBS.
Hours after arrival in Tokyo on Monday, Blatter told executives of the Japanese organising committee JAWOC that FIFA guarantees the rights currently held by the Japanese and South Korean organisers, sponsors and TV stations, according to JAWOC officials.
JAWOC chairman Nasu told reporters that "we confirmed that FIFA will take responsibility for settling this matter."
Blatter also reconfirmed that a newly created FIFA unit, FIFA Marketing AG, will take over the World Cup-related rights from ISMM if the company folds, the officials said.
The French group Vivendi and a unit of Germany's Bertlesmann had reportedly agreed with ISL to take control of the company's affairs.
AFP