World Cup 2010 Behind Bars

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The "prison football" tournament, organised during the two previous World Cups, begins today at Khong Prem prison in northern Bangkok.

Of more than 10,000 foreign inmates belonging to 90 nationalities, seven-a-side teams will represent their respective countries participating in the 2010 World Cup, Thanis Sriyaphan, a deputy Corrections Department director-general, said yesterday.

Any nine-member team of all 32 nations, which features seven players and two coaching staff members, are mixed with Thai inmates in case all nine inmates of the same nationality are available.

The three-member refereeing staff in each match is also made up of foreign inmates. South Africa, who feature in the opening match against Mexico, are fully represented by all seven players of South African nationality, while Mexico are using some Thai inmates.

All matches in the "World Cup 2010 Behind Bars" are played one day before the actual matches scheduled on June 11 to July 11, meaning the opening match is played today. Thai PBS will broadcast today's event at 10 am and the closing ceremony on July 10.

The prison football was held in parallel with the two previous World Cup events. In 2002 Nigeria clinched the prison trophy, and in 2006 Germany won it, while Brazil and Italy won the Fifa World Cups during those years, respectively.

Thanis said both prison teams were successful in the prison World Cup event because they were full of patriotic spirit in addition to no language barrier.

The seven first-team players are mainly those serving time at the Khong Prem prison while the substitutes are mostly from the maximum-security prison Bang Khwang in Nonthaburi. The training and coaching were provided by local football clubs and the Sports Authority of Thailand, which also gave Bt1 million to fund the prison football.

Foreign players have been selected from those categorised "best-behaviour inmates" to encourage good behaviour among all inmates. Around 300 Thai and foreign spectators and cheer-leading staff are also selected from those with best behaviour.

Thanis said tight security was maintained during the event with a 100-strong force of extra prison guards provided throughout the one-month period. Betting on football among inmates is prohibited and under careful surveillance, he added.



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[Member]

Mit meine Tipp South Africa - Mexio 1:1 lag ich schon mal gold richtig!
Hauptsach die spielen heute auch so....


Mexico and South Africa played-out a 1-1 draw on Thursday to kick off the 2010 World Cup Behind Bars at northern Bangkok's Klong Prem Central Prison.

It is the third alternative tournament to be held in tandem with the official Fifa World Cup, following Nigeria's win in 2002 and Germany's triumph in 2006.

Thai Justice Minister Peerapan Salirathwipak, who watched the first match, said the tournament would "help the prisoners enhance their physical and mental strength as well as develop their soccer skills for easier integration into society".

Prison inmates from 16 nations are taking part in the nine-team competition with Thai inmates mixed in with nations that don't have enough players.

"2010 World Cup Behind Bars aims to support prisoners' human rights and their sports skills," said Corrections Department deputy director-general Thanis Sriyapan.

He said the department received 1 million baht (31,000 dollars) from the Football Association of Thailand to organise the matches.

In Thursday's opening match the South Africans were represented in all seven player positions, but the Mexican side used some Thai inmates. A scheduled match between France and Uruguay had to be postponed following heavy rain.

Spectators included some 200 inmates representing some of the more than 90 nationalities in Thai prisons nationwide. Those in the crowd were chosen for their good behavior while behind bars but Thanis said more than 100 extra prison guards were on hand to ensure security.


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