Nasa tests confirm Jabulani is 'unpredictable'
By Thomas Hyde (telegraph.co.uk)Analysis compiled by NASA’s Ames Investigation Centre experts, who specialise in the field of aerodynamics, revealed that the Jabulani becomes unpredictable at speeds in excess 44mph.
Further criticisms voiced by a host of World Cup players, before and during the tournament, of the ball's inconsistent flight patterns have been attributed to it's ultra light weight of just 440 grams which makes it vulnerable to a force known as the ‘knuckle effect’.
NASA also believe that the effects of altitude could have increased the unpredictability of the ball with most stadiums in South Africa at least 1,000 metres above sea level.
England goalkeeper David James was among the first players to publicly criticise the Jabulani, describing it as 'dreadful' and 'horrible'.
His sentiments were soon echoed by a series of World Cup goalkeepers who quickly discovered that the Jabulani (Zulu for 'celebration') had the potential to embarrass them on football's biggest stage.
Spain captain Iker Casillas described the Jabulani as ‘appalling’ while Gianluigi Buffon, who guided Italy to the 2006 World Cup, went further by claiming that ‘it is very sad that a competition so important as the world championship will be played with such a horrible ball.’
Former Liverpool striker Craig Johnston is now an expert in the appliance of science to football equipment and has submitted a 12-page letter of complaint to Fifa President Sepp Blatter regarding the negative effect that the Jabulani has had on the World Cup.
He said: “If a sponsor came into your office before the World Cup and said ‘We are going to give you a new, perfectly round match ball, the players won’t like it at all, there will be more mistakes made than in any other World Cup, there will be less goals, less free-kicks scored, less complete passes, less control by players and roughly 70 per cent of crosses and shots on goal will miss and go way over the bar ... what would you say to them?”
Johnston set about making his official complaint by compiling all of the criticisms expressed by players and coaches as well as highlighting the technical faults of the ball before submitting the letter that reads:
"I am risking my reputation and goodwill within certain football circles by writing this open letter to yourself and anybody else who is interested in the Jabulani ball issue and why its endorsement by Fifa could ruin the game as we now know it,"
Fifa have announced that the Jabulani issue will be raised at a World Cup debrief meeting to be held in September.
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