Leopard Zakumi leaps into World Cup spotlight

A cuddly leopard with a green afro leaped through a beaded curtain Monday and into World Cup history.

The leopard, named Zakumi, was unveiled as the mascot of the 2010 World Cup, which will take place in South Africa. At Zakumi's introduction at a state TV studio, a performer in a Zakumi costume kicked around a football with Mark Fish, who helped lead South Africa to the African Cup of Nations title in 1996.

Zakumi was given a biography and name evoking South Africa's history and hopes. The character was "born" June 16, 1994, tournament organizers said. The year is when apartheid ended and the date is celebrated as Youth Day to mark the Soweto uprising of 1976, remembered as the day when young South Africans struck a blow against white rule.

The first two letters of Zakumi are the country's initials in Afrikaans — one of South Africa's 11 official languages. "Kumi" means 10 — for the year of the tournament — in many African languages, World Cup organizers said.

Tim Modise, spokesman for the South African organizing committee, said "zakumi" also can be understood as "come here" in southern African languages.

The idea, design and realization of the mascot all came from South Africa, including Cora Simpson, whose company just east of Johannesburg built the costume for Monday's launch.

The World Cup "brings business to my company," Simpson said.