18 Jun 2010

Dutch condemn World Cup arrests for beer stunt

12:19 pm on 18 June 2010

The Dutch government has condemned the South African World Cup authorities after two Dutch football fans were arrested for organising a marketing stunt.

The women were among a group of about three dozen who attended a World Cup game wearing bright orange mini-dresses, which were sold with packs of Bavaria beer in the Netherlands.

The World Cup is sponsored by the US company Budweiser.

FIFA says the women recruited dozens of South African women to wear the dresses.

The Dutch Government describes the arrests as absurd.

Bavaria beer has clashed with FIFA before. Scores of Dutch men at the last World Cup watched a match in their underwear after they were ordered to remove orange lederhosen bearing the name of Bavaria.