Well, life might get to imitate art (if you can call ‘Invictus’ art) except FIFA are being party poopers.
So there’s the scene in the movie where just before the final of the Rugby World Cup, a jumbo jet passes over the stadium with a good luck message to the Springboks tattooed on its belly. It’s all inspiring and stuff (still can’t believe the All Blacks lost that game, but choking in Rugby World Cups is becoming their modus operandi as of late).
Anyway, if South African Airways can get permission from FIFA, they want to recreate the stunt for the World Cup’s opener when the hosts square off against Mexico.
According to Laurie Kay the pilot for the original stunt:”The preparation for it has been done. The people at SAA said they’re still a little in the dark. FIFA is almost the government at the moment. What they say goes.”
Of course FIFA is saying it doesn’t go. Crimony. Why do we let these people throw a party? It’s a wonder they allow drinking. FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer: “It’s forbidden. No plane will receive permission to fly over any of the World Cup stadiums [sic] as the air space is restricted within a 1-kilometer radius.” (Yeah, that’s right, I sic’ed you for ‘stadia’ Miss Corporate Communications Lady).
By whom? Is that FIFA’s rule? Change it. Christ you people are lame. Or is that just your way of telling SAA that they need to offer up a dollar amount for you to change your “rules”? I wonder if FIFA rules come with a price list, like a menu, to suggest what it would cost to make an exception.
Kay says he’s hopeful FIFA will do a 180. But he probably less emotionally invested this time as he won’t be the pilot. “I’m retired,” he said. And “it’s on an Airbus, and my loyalties to the Boeing 747 wouldn’t allow me to do it.”
We’re hopeful that inspiration won’t be necessary for Bafana Bafana as FIFA’s dodgy refereeing will be enough to help the hosts best Mexico.
Yeah, because there’s noooooooo conceivable reason they might want to keep airplanes from flying over packed stadia which will be the focus of the world. Can’t think of one at all. And I don’t even live in NYC.
Right, I understand that Anonsters, but for a one-off like this, it’s probably easy to control any risks. We have flyovers over stadia all the time. We remove the risk by having the military do it.
Also, I think you meant FIFA = party poopers, not party poppers. But who knows. Maybe Sepp Blatter just does it for you, PR. :P
Dammit… Crazy thing is that I caught that and thought I had fixed it (maybe just didn’t save the changes before I published). Fine, we make mistakes. Happy now?
Not until someone provides me with cheesecake and puppies.
@Anonsters: Which one do you eat?
@EF: Your mom first.
My mom is not a bitch-puppy.