FIFA Remains Uninsured Against Strikes

August 11- The Deputy Secretary General and Director of Finance for FIFA, Markus Kattner, confirmed that the soccer group is not insured against the costs that might be incurred due to strikes in South Africa leading up to the 2010 World Cup event.

Kattner said by email that delays caused by striking constructing workers could leave FIFA bearing the brunt of the costs.

He confirmed that the costs of relocation or postponement are covered should they be caused by natural disasters, civil unrest or terrorism.

Kattner said that when taking out the insurance policy, FIFA chose not to take coverage in case of the total cancellation of the tournament, as he believed that there was no chance that the competition would be called off altogether.

FIFA hopes that the recent strike held by construction workers in July are the last before the World Cup kicks off last year.

The workers demanded extra wages and improved benefits and put down their tools for an entire week, before they were promised a pay rise of 12% and other perks.

Speaking for the National Union of Mineworkers in Johannesburg, a spokesman said: "We have a constitutional right to strike."

The union also said that there were no plans to strike again before the World Cup.

"We have ironed out many of the issues we have long held with the construction industry," said the spokesman.

Some of the industry's top insurance companies are involved in the 2010 FIFA coverage, including Munich Reinsurance and Swiss Reinsurance which carry the bulk of the responsibility.