Hotel Reserved for German Squad
Saturday, April 24, 2010
South Africa - The hotel reserved for Germany's squad at the World Cup in South Africa does not have legal documentation to allow people to stay there.
FIFA's official World Cup Accommodation Office, which is operated by Match Event Services, signed a contract with The Velmore Hotel. But the hotel, near Pretoria, does not have an occupational certificate, the legal document that allows people to occupy the building.
"I won't lie to you, we don't have the documentation," Emil Keyser, owner of the Velmore, told The Associated Press on Friday.
FIFA referred The AP to a joint statement with the local organizing committee, saying it was aware of the issue and had no indication that Germany will change hotels.
"FIFA and the 2010 Organizing Committee are aware of discussions between the City of Tshwane and the Velmore Hotel - which will serve as the Team Base Camp of Germany during the 2010 FIFA World Cup - with regards to the issuing of an occupational certificate for the construction of the hotel," FIFA said in the statement.
FIFA called the matter "an ongoing one."
Keyser said the hotel had told all relevant parties, including FIFA, the World Cup's local organizing committee and the German football federation, of the discrepancy.
Keyser would not say if other official World Cup team bases were missing the required legal documentation.
"It would be unjust of me to comment, but we have experienced a boom (in South Africa) and people have built quickly," Keyser said.
Keyser said his hotel would apply for a section 14 order, which was a temporary occupational certificate, Wednesday. He said the Germany squad, which has exclusive use of what is currently an unlicensed hotel for the duration of the World Cup, was due to arrive June 5 or June 6.
German football federation spokesman Harald Stenger said the squad was still hoping to use the hotel as planned.
"We believe that all ambiguities will be clarified as soon as possible," Stenger said. "We only knew that the LOC, police and the hotel were discussing the final security details." {#}
posted @ 10:58 AM,
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