FA Chairman Finally Returns World Cup Watch to FIFA
For the last several months, FA chairman Greg Dyke has been trying in vain to hold onto the £16,000 ($26,600) watch he received in a gift bag during the 2014 World Cup event. It’s hard to blame him for desiring to keep the enviable timepiece but even a World Cup watch this luxurious isn’t worth losing your job over.
In September, ethics investigators from FIFA ordered all 65 football officials who received the Parmigiani World Cup watches from the Brazilian federation to return them by October of 2014, but Dyke refused, preferring to donate the timepiece to a British breast cancer charity for auction. That did not satisfy the governing body, which threatened him with serious sanctions—like getting fired.
FIFA released a statement this week pronouncing the matter closed. “As a consequence, the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA ethics committee has decided to close the proceedings in respect of a possible breach of the FIFA code of ethics.”
Dyke will be making a personal donation to the British charity while this year’s World Cup goodie bags will likely be much less interesting.
Swiss Army Knife Maker Announces New Smartwatch
The makers of the Swiss Army Knife have a long history of making simple tools that actually work, so they might have a good chance of creating a smartwatch that does what it’s supposed to. Victorinox, the company that produces the iconic tool, has confirmed plans to unveil a wearable device early in 2015.
Victorinox Chief Executive Carl Elsener told Reuters: “Our concept is something approaching a smartwatch.” He added, “We’re looking … for the opportunity to expand the functions of our watches. But at the same time the watch must have a long lifespan compared to a mobile phone or a computer.”
A smartwatch minus the built-in obsolescence? Sounds like a device that might be worth buying and keeping around for a while.
