Each Team Supplies Food from Home

`Careful with water, careful with food`

As each team is settling its training camp in Korea and Japan with only a week left for the 2002 World Cup’s opening, the biggest concern is about injury and physical conditions. It is particularly noticeable that the players are shipping in their `home food`. One intention is to increase the players’ appetite, but it is also shown that each team is trying to prevent stomachache or any other `accident` that may come from different water or food.

The U.S. team, which is to arrive on the 24th, has already prepared its own drinks and snacks on the 14th, including 1,800 bottles of sports drink, 3,600 nutritional snacks, and 1,440 bottles of water.

Poland also has a plan to bring 800 kilograms of home recipes. The Polish team’s chef said that “Polish cheese, sausage, and ham are to come with the players on the 23rd”.

Argentina, which settled its camp in Narahacho, Fukushima, Japan, on the 16th, ordered 600 bottles of Argentine wine right after unpacking. The team’s explanation is that it is inconceivable to have meals without Argentine wine. On the other hand, Costa Rica in Suzuka city has `refused all alcoholic drinks` and replaced all tea and beer with mineral water.

Meanwhile, Paraguay attracted attention as it brought Australian meat to its camp in Matsumoto, Japan, in comparison with other teams. President Oscar Harrison of the Paraguayan football association explained on the 22nd, “We wanted to bring Paraguayan, but frankly, it is not 100 per cent safe because of foot-and-mouth disease.”

Sung-Won Joo swon@donga.com