MUNICH, July 27 - Germany cannot offer complete
guarantees on security at the 2006 World Cup but FIFA president
Sepp Blatter said on Wednesday he was confident football's
reputation as the people's game would reduce risks of an attack.
Franz Beckenbauer, the head of the World Cup organising
committee, told the Visions of Football conference he was
certain Germany could deal with hooliganism at the tournament
but said other threats could not be ruled out.
"We don't want to be terrorised, or affected by terrorism,
but sadly there is no 100 percent certainty," Beckenbauer said.
"(The threat) cannot be completely excluded."
Blatter, speaking to reporters ahead of his scheduled
lecture on Football in Society, said World Cup security was a
matter for the German government, while sounding a positive note
on the game's role and universal appeal.
"Nothing is predictable," Blatter said. "But we will have 32
teams (at the World Cup) from all around the world, in a
competition where there is no discrimination, no racism.
"Football is open to everyone. It is a game of the people
and that is the basic principle.
"We should be confident that the 2006 World Cup is an event
that will unite people. It is a chance to make the world better,
to make people better."
The World Cup kicks off on June 9 in Munich, with the final
being played in Berlin on July 9.