Stab-proof vests offered to World Cup fans

An English company has come under attack from football bosses for marketing a stab-proof vest for fans attending the World Cup in crime-riddled South Africa.

The company, Protektorvest, is offering the vests resplendent in team colours as it looks to cash in on sport’s biggest event being held in a country notorious for its high crime rate.

They even promote links off their website to crime details in South Africa, including figures on stabbings.

The vests are similar to those used by police officers.

The ploy has drawn an angry response from Fifa’s Local Organising Committee (LOC), claiming scare tactics.

Speaking to South African media, LOC spokesman Rich Mkhondo described the vests as an "abominable money making ploy using fear tactics".

"Sport fans visiting South Africa have never needed stab vests. The marketing of such vests is a joke," he said.

Fifa is expecting more that 400,000 guests to visit South Africa for the tournament being played from June 12 to July 12 (NZ time).

New Zealand have qualified for the finals and are in the same pool as Italy, Slovakia and Paraguay.

- © Fairfax NZ News