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World Cup footballs 'made in labour camp'
South China Morning Post
Saturday June 7 1997
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE in Shanghai
Mr Bao said his job was to wax the balls, which were inscribed with the words "France 1998 FIFA World Cup".
He said he was forced to make footballs for 15 hours a day and was paid about 15 yuan (HK$14) a month while in Jiangsu's Dafeng labour camp.
"At first we made colour bulbs but we were not paid. Since the end of 1995 we made footballs and received wages.
"The light bulbs were for export. The footballs were for the World Cup tournament in France next year," he said.
Wardens told him the footballs were being sold by Shanghai Zhiqiu Lianhe Company.
An official in the company's sales department confirmed they were making footballs for export to France - some to be sold as souvenirs, and others for use in the competition. While the official said the footballs were manufactured in Jiangsu "by hired rural workers", she denied any involvement of prison labour.
The company had exported 30,000 balls to France through the Shanghai Lansheng Export Import Company, she said.
But world soccer's governing body, FIFA, denied World Cup balls were being made in Chinese prison camps. It said the ball-makers, Adidas, did not have a Chinese sub-contractor.
Mr Bao was freed on Wednesday after serving three years.
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