The 2010 Soccer World Cup

Next month the greatest sporting event of the year will begin in South Africa. Football teams from 32 countries will battle their way through the 2010 Soccer World Cup watched by millions of viewers on television. Off the screen a different scene is taking place.

Tens of thousands of soccer fans from around the world will be in South Africa, travelling in groups and having the holiday of a life-time. They are overwhelmingly male spectators and are determined to have what they call a good time. Inevitably this includes a great deal of heavy drinking and several sexual adventures.

Police in South Africa are well aware of the potential problems of this invasion and have been training for some time. Included in their concern is the potential sexual abuse of many children by drunken soccer fans. Measures are being taken to try and protect children from such abuse.

Here in New Zealand we are watching the issue closely because we will be host to the Rugby Football World Cup in 2011. Discussions between the local police and ECPAT New Zealand have already begun as we consider how best to handle a potentially volatile and difficult situation.

Ron O´Grady är en av grundarna till det internationella ECPAT-nätverket. Han var under många år ordförande för ECPAT International och aktiv i ECPAT New Zeeland.