OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Saturday 4.00pm.
AFRICAN Football Confederation president Issa Hayatou warned on Saturday that Africa’s chance of hosting the 2006 World Cup may be ruined if South Africa and Morocco persist in putting up rival bids.
In an interview in the Dubai daily Emirati al-Ittihad, Hayatou said: “If the two countries don’t reach agreement and refuse to coordinate (their position) it will be catastrophic for the dreams of every African, and we will present the competition to Europe.”
“For the first time the occasion is right for Africa to host the football World Cup. But it might be that the chance is missed if Morocco and South Africa continue to present their separate bids,” the 53-year-old CAF chief added.
“It’s imperative that Morocco and South Africa reach agreement, before it’s too late,” he insisted.
Once again Hayatou would not be drawn on siding with either country.
The 2006 decision will be taken by FIFA’s 24-strong executive committee, which includes Hayatou, in Zurich next July and pits the two African countries against England, Germany and Brazil.
On Friday Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the South Africa 2006 Bid committee, said that despite events in Nigeria at the African Nations Cup – with the Cote d’Ivoire squad being detained in a military camp – South Africa’s bid is as strong as ever. — AFP