Announcement

**donsaeid** · 05-28-2007, 05:25 AM

President Sepp Blatter and the FIFA Executive Committee meeting on Sunday reiterated their confidence over South Africa's ability to deliver a successful World Cup in 2010.

"With regard to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, the executive committee and the president in particular underlined, once again, that FIFA has the utmost confidence in the local organisers," the committee said.

The FIFA Executive Committee meeting convened in Zurich for the 23rd and final time in the current cycle.

This declaration of support is expected to be further reiterated during a personal visit to South Africa by Mr Blatter in June.

Mr Blatter was recently re-elected as the president of the world football governing body after he stood for the presidency uncontested.

On Friday, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Dr Jacques Rogge also expressed confidence that South Africa would host the best FIFA World Cup.

He told the media that he was convinced that South Africa in particular, and Africa generally was capable of hosting this major sporting event.

Dr Rogge was visiting the SAFA House in Nasrec, the headquarters of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee South Africa (LOC).

The committee also announced that there would be an open invitation to tender for the 2010 FIFA World Cup hospitality rights.

These rights are due to be assigned at the end of 2007.

With regard to the television rights 2007-2010 for the sub-Sahara region in Africa which comprises 42 territories, they decided to push ahead with negotiations with the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) with a view to securing an agreement.

Contracts that have already been signed include the Arab Radio and Television ART for northern Africa and South African state broadcaster, the SABC, for South Africa.

While FIFA will host the preliminary draw in November 2007 in Durban, the executive committee said it would also designate the host country of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011.

The bidding candidates are Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Peru.

The executive committee also approved the staging of a benefit match between an African XI and a team from around the world in honour of former President Nelson Mandela.

This match will be played in Cape Town on 18 July 2007, to coincide with the 89th birthday of the great icon.

The African XI will see retired football legends and dribble wizards from Africa locking horns with their counterparts from all over the world.

For medical reasons and in the interests of players' health, the executive also ruled that in future, no international matches may be played at an altitude higher than 2,500 metres above sea level.

In relation to the "Football for a Better World" programme, the committee also approved various projects for the "Win in Africa with Africa" initiative and the "Football for Hope" movement.

"Win in Africa with Africa" is one of the main programmes of the "Football for a Better World" alliance, which are FIFA's social responsibility activities.

It was approved at the 56th FIFA Congress in Munich in 2006.

With this in mind, the committee also stressed that similar projects would be developed for other continents.

**donsaeid** · 05-28-2007, 05:26 AM

1 086 days to 2010 World Cup

Democratic Alliance MP Donald Lee on Tuesday urged increased efforts to make the Fifa 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa the best ever, saying there are only 1 086 days left.

Speaking in the National Assembly during debate on the sport and recreation budget vote, Lee said since the previous debate there had been a promising turnabout when it came to building the required stadiums.

"And possibly the best example of problem-solving and issue handling has got to be the Green Point Stadium [in Cape Town]," he said.

Through intense and involved debate with civil society the stadium was going ahead.

This proud monument to the city's abilities would soon become a landmark for pilots and sea farers for years to come, and would not be a financial burden on the ratepayers of Cape Town.

The other nine stadiums were also on their way and deputy finance minister Jabu Moleketi had promised they would be finished in good time.

"However, there is still a good reason to believe that much of the infrastructure needs for the games have not started in time," Lee said.

Two sides to the event

Roads had to be refurbished and new ones built. The transport infrastructure was in distress with the threat of bus driver strikes and taxi violence.

"This is not the kind of situation that I would be proud to show to the millions of tourists that we will receive as a result of the games."

In addition, it was of the utmost importance to ensure that the 2010 World Cup "is about the vulnerable, the poverty stricken and the marginalized people of South Africa".

"It is important to remember that the jobs created here will help to feed small children and the elderly in families that we in this House will never see, but through our efforts at bringing the benefits of the games home to the people, we hope to touch those families, nevertheless."

It was important to remember that there were two sides to this event - that of the athletes and that of the socio-economic benefits that had to accrue to the South African public.

"Last year I told you that there were 1460 days to go. Today I tell you there are 1086 days left in which to make this even the biggest and the best Soccer World Cup that the world has ever seen.

"For the pride of South African sports viewers, and for the honour of South African sportspeople," Lee said.

**donsaeid** · 05-28-2007, 05:28 AM

Announcement

2010 WorldCup Crisis

2010 WorldCup Crisis

Comment

Comment

Comment