OWN CORRESPONDENT, London | Friday 2.45pm.
BOBBY Charlton, a representative of England’s 2006 World Cup bid, said choosing South Africa to host the event would be the wrong decision.
The Manchester United legend was quoted in Friday’s Daily Express newspaper as saying: “It’s been our policy not to criticise others because once the inspection teams arrive the questions are answered anyway.
“But we don’t have to mention the situation in South Africa to FIFA because every now and then someone sends me one of their newspapers which tabulates all the problems – and that comes from their own country.
“FIFA has had five or six years before the event, and to take all this time and make a wrong decision would be major.
“I’m not just talking about South Africa – but a badly-organised World Cup, given to a country at the wrong time and not done correctly would be a disaster.”
FIFA’s inspection team will visit South Africa in March, immediately after they tour Morocco.
The officials have already inspected England and Germany’s facilities and they are due to begin their tour of Brazil on Saturday.
After their inspection of Morocco they will present their findings to FIFA’s executive committee to make the final decision.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has gone on record pledging his backing for South Africa, although in Rio on Thursday he attempted to backtrack slightly.
He admitted he would like the World Cup to go to Africa, but he refused to say which country.
“I believe the World Cup should go in rotation around the continent,” he said.
“I have identified one continent, but I will not identify a candidate because I have to preside over the decision-making committee on July 5 and 6 in Zurich.” — AFP