World Cup leopard mascot unveiled
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The South Africa official 2010 mascot, a
leopard known as Zakumi, is seen during a launch in Auckland
Park, Johannesburg September 22, 2008. The mascot for the 2010
World Cup in South Africa was unveiled in Johannesburg on
Monday, with Fifa opting for a leopard for the showpiece
football tournament’s first visit to Africa. “Zakumi is young,
vibrant, energetic, smart, self-confident, sociable and
ambitious, but also warm-hearted,” Local Organising Committee
CEO Danny Jordaan said at the televised launch. REUTERS |
The official mascot of the 2010 World Cup was unveiled on Monday in
Johannesburg - a green-haired leopard named Zakumi - FIFA announced at a
television gala broadcast nationwide.
Zakumi - the ZA stands for South Africa while kumi means ten in
assorted African languages - has been exclusively designed in the host
country which will stage the continent's first ever World Cup in 21
month's time.
FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke explained the choice.
"Zakumi represents the people, geography and spirit of South Africa,
personifying in essence the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We are certain we will
have a lot of fun with him in the lead-up to and during the FIFA
Confederations Cup and the FIFA World Cup," said Valcke.
Andries Odendaal from Cape Town came up with the design - the
animal's green hair is designed to provide 'camouflage' on a football
pitch.
For FIFA, Zakumi will help to "turn the 2010 FIFA World Cup South
Africa into one huge, joyful and unforgettable party and show the
thousands of international guests the warmth and spirit of the African
continent." According to former South African star Lucas Radebe, "he
wants to create a good mood for the fans and raise the excitement for
the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first on African soil.
"He is a proud South African and wants to ensure that the world will
come together in South Africa."
FIFA first introduced mascots in 1966 with World Cup Willie - a Union
Jack-clad English Lion. Others included the orange-shaped Naranjito in
Spain in 1982, the 'ciao' stick-figure in Italian colours in 1990 and
Footix, a French cockeral, in 1998. But the Goleo lion for the 2006
event in Germany was not a commercial success and the company that made
it declared itself backrupt amid lower than expected demand for the
product.
JOHANNESBURG, AFP
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