CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – France, World Cup winners in 1998 and finalists in 2006, missed out on a place in the eight top seeds for Friday’s draw, announced by FIFA on Wednesday.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke told a news conference the decision had been based on the world rankings and had no connection with the controversy over France’s infamous “handball” goal against Ireland.

CAPE TOWN, Dec 2 (Reuters) – France, World Cup winners in
1998 and finalists in 2006, missed out on a place in the eight
top seeds for Friday’s draw, announced by FIFA on Wednesday.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke told a news conference
the decision had been based on the world rankings and had no
connection with the controversy over France’s infamous
“handball” goal against Ireland.

CAPE TOWN, Dec 1 (Reuters) – FIFA dashed any lingering Irish
hopes of playing in next year’s World Cup finals on Tuesday by
declaring it would be impossible to add a 33rd team to the
tournament.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke told a news conference
three days before the draw for the finals in South Africa that
Ireland should not entertain hopes of being given an extra place
because of France’s controversial handball goal against them.

CAPE TOWN, Dec 1 (Reuters) – South African actress Charlize
Theron has landed the leading lady’s role in Friday’s draw for
next year’s World Cup finals in her home country, FIFA announced
on Tuesday.

Theron will be joint host of the 90-minute show to be
televised live to an estimated global audience of more than two
hundred million people in 200 countries at 1900 local time (1700
GMT).

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – As Rio de Janeiro revels and rejoices in a runaway victory for the right to stage the 2016 Olympics, a chill wind is blowing through Chicago, seen by many as favorites before Friday’s stunning IOC vote.

So did Rio win it or did Chicago blow it?

The question has been much debated in the corridors and meeting places around the Olympic Congress in the 48 hours since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose Rio by 66 votes to Madrid’s 32 in the final voting round after eliminating Chicago, astonishingly, in the first round, and Tokyo.

COPENHAGEN, Oct 4 (Reuters) – As Rio de Janeiro revels and
rejoices in a runaway victory for the right to stage the 2016
Olympics, a chill wind is blowing through Chicago, seen by many
as favourites before Friday’s stunning IOC vote.

So did Rio win it or did Chicago blow it?

The question has been much debated in the corridors and
meeting places around the Olympic Congress in the 48 hours since
the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose Rio by 66 votes
to Madrid’s 32 in the final voting round after eliminating
Chicago, astonishingly, in the first round, and Tokyo.

COPENHAGEN, Oct 2 (Reuters) – Rio de Janeiro will stage the
first Olympics in South America in 2016, the International
Olympic Committee decided on Friday, delivering a stunning
rebuff to U.S. President Barack Obama and favourites Chicago.

IOC President Jacques Rogge announced the decision to give
the Games to Rio after three rounds of voting which produced a
landslide victory for the Brazilians in a final showdown with
Madrid.

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Chicago played its two trump cards on Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle both making impassioned speeches as they urged the IOC to choose the Windy City as host of the 2016 Olympics.

The president, who flew overnight from Washington and went straight into the International Olympic Committee session, stressed that Chicago was the place both he and the First Lady called home.

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made an impassioned plea to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Friday, urging them to award an overdue first Games to both Brazil and South America in 2016.

Speaking for Rio de Janeiro, Lula said Brazil was the only one of the world’s 10 most powerful nations to have never staged the Games. “I honestly think it is Brazil’s turn,” he told the IOC session which will choose the 2016 hosts from Chicago, Madrid, Rio and Tokyo later on Friday.

COPENHAGEN, Oct 2 (Reuters) – Brazilian President Luiz
Inacio Lula da Silva made an impassioned plea to the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Friday, urging them to
award an overdue first Games to both Brazil and South America in
2016.

Speaking for Rio de Janeiro, Lula said Brazil was the only
one of the world’s 10 most powerful nations to have never staged
the Games. “I honestly think it is Brazil’s turn,” he told the
IOC session which will choose the 2016 hosts from Chicago,
Madrid, Rio and Tokyo later on Friday.