World Cup Mexico 86 : Analysis : European Broadcast Officials Cite Poor Conditions, Foul-Ups

Charges of organizational chaos, widespread inefficiency and possible sabotage swirled around the World Cup soccer tournament here Tuesday as European television and radio officials harshly criticized working conditions and facilities in Mexico.

In an unprecedented attack on the services being provided by TeleMexico and FIFA, world soccer’s ruling body, members of the European broadcast media said they would demand at least a partial refund of the tens of millions of dollars paid for broadcast rights. They also called for immediate correction of the problems.

“It is the biggest disaster in the history of sports broadcasting,” said Norway’s Jarle Hoeysaeter, joint head of sports operations for the European Broadcast Union.

Added Hoeysaeter’s EBU associate, Manuel Romero of Spain’s Eurovision Espana: “On Sunday in Guadalajara, I think we can call it a catastrophe.”

What happened Sunday was that conditions were so chaotic that a large percentage of the 142 nations that are paying to receive the World Cup got nothing at all from Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, where Brazil played Spain; from Leon, where France played Canada, and from the International Broadcast Center in Mexico City.

Some countries got sound but no picture. Some got picture but no sound. Some got the wrong game. Some got the right game but the wrong language.

Asked how this could happen, one British broadcaster said bluntly: “Incompetence.”

The same thing happened at Saturday’s inaugural ceremony and opening game in Mexico City, and the conditions were no better on Monday, when three games were played.

Vittorio Panchetti of Radiotelevisia Italiana said that the reputations of European networks are suffering among viewers. “It is difficult to explain that we have nothing to do with (the problems),” Panchetti said.

Nor is it just the Europeans who are experiencing difficulties. The same conditions are true for Africa, Asia, South America, anywhere, in fact, where the games are supposed to be shown.

“It is a lottery whether you receive anything or not,” Hoeysaeter said. “Practically no one has escaped the chaos.”

In a terse statement released Tuesday, TeleMexico made the following announcement:

“The broadcast of Mexico 86 matches have been of utmost technical quality, both in video and in international audio, providing services to over 150 radio and television organizations all over the world. However, there have been some technical problems with the chronicles from stadiums, so that the matches are being narrated abroad. TeleMexico apologizes for the inconveniences and will take the necessary measures to overcome the problems.”

The difficulties are technical in nature, mostly having to do with the set-up of the telecommunications circuits. TeleMexico apparently is unable to handle the job that FIFA had contracted it to do.

European broadcast officials said that equipment necessary to transmit the tournament to the world has either not been installed at all, has been installed incorrectly or is being operated by people unfamiliar with what is required.

They said that the situation could be corrected but that TeleMexico administrators appear not to want to admit that major problems exist.

“They don’t want to lose face,” said Martjn Lindenberg of Holanda TV in the Netherlands.

Adding to the problem is that TeleMexico officials have not allowed foreign technicians access to the equipment in order to fix it.

“Sometimes we have even done it (surreptitiously re-wired the circuitry in either the stadiums or the broadcast center so that the system functions properly), and in the morning when we come back it has been taken down again.” Hoeysaeter said.

Stories of radio and television commentators broadcasting entire games or feature segments and then having them disappear literally into thin air are numerous.

On Monday night, the EBU held a remarkable press conference at which the full extent of the problem was outlined. But, as Romero pointed out, even finding that out has not been an easy matter.

“The problems are so big that we don’t even have time to assemble the information,” he said. “I don’t think any of the broadcasters in this room have ever experienced what we experienced (Sunday).”

Both Hoeysaeter and Romero denied published reports in Europe that the EBU is threatening to boycott the rest of the tournament or that it has asked FIFA to delay the rest of the matches until the problems are solved.

Both also made it abundantly clear, however, that the chaos of the weekend cannot be allowed to continue. They said that FIFA had been warned weeks ago that problems were going to occur but that nothing had been done to avert them.

“We are facing other operational and logistical problems that I am sure we share with the written press,” Romero said. “But the main problem in telecommunications has been the inexplicable delays in getting the facilities working properly. The delays have produced a lot of problems for our members.

“On May 21 (the EBU), together with the other broadcast unions of the world, sent a telex to the executive secretary of FIFA explaining our fears that the telecommunication state of affairs could lead to problems in transmitting the World Cup. Now, those fears are being realized.

“There is not an excuse for this. It is a catastrophe of sports broadcasting.”

Hoeysaeter said that a strong letter was sent to FIFA General Secretary Sepp Blatter late Sunday night, outlining the broadcasters’ concerns and detailing what they believe ought to be done.

“We have appealed to FIFA to take immediate measures to improve the telecommunications,” he said. “For us, that is vital.

“In order to achieve the improvement we now desperately need, we think a reorganization is necessary so that one person or one body is given the necessary authority or power to coordinate the situation. There have been mistakes and shortcomings in many areas.

“This person should have the confidence of the world’s broadcasters and should also have technical and operational knowledge.”

The implication in this request is that the Mexicans do not have a person competent enough to do the job, but that was quickly denied by Hoeysaeter.

“We have never mentioned that he should be other than a Mexican,” Hoeysaeter said. “But he must have the power to do the job.”

The letter to FIFA, to which a prompt response was requested, also said that the EBU members “expect to be paid back the appropriate amount for facilities and services that we have not received.”

It added: “If no improvement is made very quickly or if the necessary steps are not taken as we are asking, we will take the matter up with our administrators in Europe.”

The implication there is that some European networks may decide to drop their coverage completely and also that a lawsuit could be forthcoming.

Finally, the letter also requested a refund from FIFA of part of the rights money because, as Hoeysaeter said, under terms of the contract, “they (FIFA) have not delivered what we have paid for.”

In addition to the millions of dollars paid directly to FIFA for the broadcast rights--FIFA refuses to disclose the exact amount--radio and television networks worldwide have paid hundreds of millions of dollars in other areas such as production costs, satellite fees, technical installations, and so on.

“Even the commentary positions cost $2,900 per position per match,” Romero said, adding pointedly, “and no sound comes out of them.”

Because FIFA and TeleMexico demanded most of the money up front, as much as 80% of it has already been paid, leaving the broadcast unions with very little immediate leverage.

It also means that TeleMexico officials can treat the problem with indifference, and they apparently are doing just that, Holland’s Lindenberg said.

“The only thing they’re looking for is money,” he said. “The only thing that scares them is bad press.”

Still, there is hope that the situation can be corrected.

“We are professional people.” Romero said. “We do believe there can be an improvement if all the forces are put together to work. . . . We believe that in three or four or five days the situation can be redirected and we can have an almost normal situation.

“We have nothing against Mexico. We have been in Mexico before in the 1970 World Cup and in the 1968 Olympic Games. Mexico has very good communications professionals. Lack of coordination (between the various broadcast elements) is the problem.”

The games will go on, but just who will see them outside of Mexico, nobody knows.