Human Trafficking

In the run-up to the World Cup last year, media reports had suggested as many as 40,000 women could be trafficked for sexual exploitation, possibly against their will, to meet the sexual needs of millions of soccer fans due to descend on the country.

The estimates "were quickly found to be unrealistic and unfounded hype," the study published Tuesday by the Geneva-based International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

"All data, information and expert statements that are available to date strongly indicate that an increase in human trafficking did not occur either during or after the World Cup," the report added.

Report urges broader approach

Currently, some 1,000 people a year are believed to fall victim to sexual exploitation in Germany.

"Even if it is assumed that only one in ten cases of trafficking is discovered, the 40,000 figure is still unrealistically high," the report said.

The study said that soccer fans were often couples or families, a fact which had reduced the need for sexual services.

The IOM praised Germany for the measures taken before the event to try to counter trafficking and hoped this might provide an effective model for organizers to follow at coming events such as UEFA Euro 2008 in Switzerland, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the Olympics in Beijing.

However the study said that authorities had taken too narrow a perspective and recommended a broader approach in future and urged better profiling of fans.

Counter-trafficking activities should also target forced labor, particularly within the construction industry, criminal activities and begging, the report said.