OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Thursday 3.00pm.
SPORTS Minister Ngconde Balfour will meet Moroccan World Cup bid officials in Rabat on Sunday to discuss the possibility of Morocco withdrawing from the 2006 race, officials said on Thursday.
South African World Cup 2006 Bid Committee officials said Balfour has been invited by the Moroccans, although no agenda has been set for the meeting.
Balfour will seek to get Morocco to withdraw from the race, leaving South Africa as the only African representative in the bid to host the soccer showpiece, officials said.
It is not the first time South African officials have attempted to persuade Morocco to withdraw. South Africa has long believed the Moroccan bid has diluted their chances against the three other candidates — Brazil, England and Germany.
If there is a breakthrough the bid committee will also travel to Morocco for further discussions, said chief executive officer Danny Jordaan.
Revelations of a possible deal with Morocco follow news of a planned meeting between South Africa and Brazil in Johannesburg next week.
Brazil’s football confederation president Ricardo Teixeira and bid committee president Zico will meet South African officials to discuss a possible deal in which Brazil will ensure South America’s backing of South Africa for the 2006 race.
In return, Africa will back a South American candidate for the 2010 World Cup finals. A deal of this nature will see Brazil withdrawing its bid to host the 2006 World Cup. — Reuters