18 November 2004

Pel�, the legendary Brazilian footballer; IOC President Jacques Rogge; and FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter were in Lausanne yesterday to open the new temporary exhibition at the Olympic Museum entitled 100 Years of Planet Football � FIFA 1904-2004. This is a commemorative exhibition covering the history of football from the founding of the International Association Football Federation (FIFA) to its current activities. The exhibition has been mounted by the Olympic Museum in collaboration with FIFA.


FIFA-IOC: a long-standing friendship
After the symbolic photograph taken beside the FIFA World Cup, the personalities began with a visit to the exhibition, which was followed by an official ceremony with various speeches. For President Blatter, this exhibition is also an expression of the long-standing harmonious relations between FIFA and the Olympic Movement. �The IOC has its place in the FIFA centenary celebrations as, since its creation, the FIFA World Cup has been very closely linked to the Olympic Movement and in particular the Olympic football tournaments.�


Football history
In addition, the exhibition looks at FIFA and the IOC�s mission in the global development of football. It is also the FIFA World Cup, a unique event in the way it manages, like the Olympic Games, to bring countries together and offer occasions rich in emotion.


Kick-off by Pel�
At the morning�s press conference devoted to the exhibition, when asked for a story about his career, Pel� recalled: �When I won my first World Cup in 1958, aged 17, the only thing I wanted to do was phone my family to tell them. But I had to wait until the next day to do so. Today, when a player scores a goal, he can use his mobile to phone his mother straightaway and say �Mum, I�ve scored!�.� Other days, other ways�

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