FIFA howling over dog abuse

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http://www.asahi.com/english/sports/K2001110700358.html

 

FIFA howling over dog abuse

 

Asahi Shimbun News Service

Nov 07,2001

 

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has sent a strongly worded

letter to his vice president, Chung Mong Joon, in an

effort to put a stop to cruelty to animals in the

Republic of Korea (South Korea) ahead of next year's

World Cup.

 

Chung, who is also a member of the South Korean

parliament as well as president of the Korea Football

Association and co-president of the Korean World Cup

Organizing Committee (KOWOC), has assured Blatter of

his personal commitment to enforce existing laws that

forbid the mistreatment of animals.

 

He said an interministry investigation had been put

into motion in South Korea involving the ministries of

agriculture and forestry, health and welfare, and

others.

 

In his open letter to Chung, Blatter referred to the

thousands of letters FIFA has received from the

general public in protest about the manner in which

dogs and cats are mistreated in Korea, apparently in

open contravention of existing laws.

 

Dogs, in particular, are often tortured while being

prepared for human consumption.

 

The FIFA president had called upon Chung to take

``immediate and decisive measures to put an immediate

end to this cruelty.''

 

He pointed out that not only the animals were being

harmed, but also Korea's international image, and he

said the World Cup would serve ``as an appropriate

moment for Korea to show the world that it is

sensitive to vociferous worldwide public opinion and

that it rejects cruelty.''

 

In his response, Chung said KOWOC had held a series of

meetings with Korean government officials, as a result

of which the joint investigation had been set up with

the objective of establishing a more effective system

to prevent animal abuse.

 

(11/07)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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