Fifa remains steadfast – SA is ready
Sunday, April 11, 2010
AMID reports about South Africa’s readiness or lack thereof for the World Cup tournament, Fifa remains steadfast that the country is ready for the soccer showpiece.
Fifa secretary-general Jerome Valcke insisted at a media briefing this week that his organisation is confident that South Africa will deliver.
Valcke said this at the briefing which followed after the World Cup board met in Sandton in Johannesburg.
“Where we are now we can say we are ready as we have the stadiums. The Fifa competitions director says South African stadiums are better than it was the case with Germany,” said Valcke.
The Frenchman also dismissed concerns about pitches at some of the stadiums.
“The pitches which were a talking point a few weeks ago are okay now,” he said. “We will have the pitches we want during the World Cup.
“We are confident as we always were about the World Cup in South Africa. It’s time for me to close my eyes and ears and not listen or see anything until the 11th of June. We have to work together to deliver the World Cup.”
Danny Jordaan, the chief executive of the World Cup local organising committee (LOC), concurred.
“The World Cup is about the infrastructure which we have in place,” said Jordaan.
“We have magnificent stadiums which rank among the best in the world.”
Jordaan also revealed that the LOC has used 32 percent of the 423million they got from Fifa.
“We are within our budget and that’s so because of the financial prudence and discipline we have. We are left with 68 percent which we will use in the running of the World Cup,” he said.
LOC chairperson Irvin Khoza commented on the controversy surrounding the June 10 Fifa concert which will be held at Orlando Stadium in Soweto. South African artists have complained saying they have been sidelined in favour of their overseas counterparts.
“The board has noted that concert is a Fifa event and it must have international characters,” he said.
“We have appointed a committee to look at the issue and they will report to us on April 12.”
The committee consists of board members Jordaan, Zwelinzima Vavi, Tokyo Sexwale and Kirsten Nemtandani. - By MONWABISI JIMLONGO
posted @ 7:19 PM,
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