MIKE COLLETT, Tokyo | Monday 12.20pm.
PELE confirmed his support for South Africa’s bid to stage the 2006 World Cup on Monday, saying he thought Brazil could be ready to stage the finals four years later.
Pele, who played and scored for Brazil at four successive World Cup finals, told a news conference that he had never been against Brazil hosting the World Cup, but he was against the committee behind the current Brazilian bid.
Brazil are competing against South Africa, England, Germany and Morocco for the right to stage the 2006 finals.
”I think that it is Africa’s turn as after 2002 the World Cup would have been held on all the continents apart from Africa,” The Brazilian former sports minister said.
”England and Germany also have very strong bids… but the last World Cup was in Europe and it should be someone else’s turn.
”At the moment I don’t think Brazil is ready…I do not say I am against Brazil hosting the World Cup, but I do not want to participate with the commitee set up to bid for it now. I don’t have any confidence in them and I don’t want to work with them.” — Reuters