ZURICH, Switzerland - FIFA does not have to immediately grant an eight-year
sponsorship deal to MasterCard, pending an appeal of a judge's ruling
that the credit card company is entitled to sponsor the 2010 and 2014
World Cup tournaments.
FIFA said a New York court ruled Friday that the organization can delay
granting the deal to MasterCard. Such delays in implementing a judge's
ruling are routine in cases under appeal.
FIFA requested the delay while appealing a Dec. 7 ruling by U.S. District
Judge Loretta A. Preska in New York that said MasterCard was entitled
to sponsor the next two World Cups despite Visa signing a deal with soccer's
international governing body calling for it to receive the rights on Jan.
1.
The judge, in a 125-page ruling, said FIFA signed its deal with Visa even
though MasterCard had a right of first refusal to sponsor the 2010 and
2014 events. After the ruling, FIFA fired four employees for dishonest
sponsorship negotiations
