On 11 July the 2010 FIFA World Cup came to an end. Despite concerns that the biggest ever sporting event on African soil would be affected by South Africa's high rate of violent crime and gun violence there were few incidents, a fact celebrated by the National Police Commissioner, General Bheki Cele.

With the support of international footballers including Carlos Tevez of Manchester City and Argentina, IANSA's 'Gun Free World Cup' campaign highlighted the importance of the gun ban in football stadiums for the duration of the tournament, and raised awareness about the impact of gun violence. Now the competition is over, Tevez maintains that "Guns have no place in sport, or in society. And if it’s possible to have a Gun-Free World Cup, why stop there?”

Why stop indeed? Now IANSA members are preparing for the next FIFA World Cup being held in Brazil in 2014, a country with similar challenges to South Africa including high crime rates, and a huge disparity between rich and poor. They welcome the competition as an opportunity to build on the success enjoyed by South Africa in hosting a gun free competition, and will continue to show the world how gun control measures build confidence and save lives.