D-Day has arrived for the South African 2010 bid company. Five inspectors from world soccer’s governing body, Fifa, arrived on Thursday to see for themselves whether South Africa is ready to host the World Cup in 2010.
The 24 Fifa executive members, who decide in May next year on a host country for the event, will depend on the information submitted by the South African bid company in the ‘bid book†and the report on what the inspectors see and hear during their seven-day stay.Â
South Africa is the second country on the Fifa inspectors’ list: they have already visited Morocco, and still have to see Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. Only African countries are in the running for 2010, the first continent in Fifa’s new rotational system for hosts.
Chief executive officer of the 2010 bid company Danny Jordaan says: ‘The report by the Fifa technical inspectors is crucial in deciding how the executive members should vote.â€
The inspectors will be shown all aspects of the bid, including stadiums, medical facilities, transport routes, security arrangements, information technology and hotels and accommodation. Finally they will see something Fifa will appreciate more: the passion of soccer fans at Ellis Park on Saturday in a game between Kaizer Chiefs and Ajax Cape Town in the quarterfinal of the Coca Cola Cup.Â
The inspectors will then be given presentations by Cabinet ministers, hosting cities, and leaders of the business and soccer fraternity. President Thabo Mbeki is expected to assure the Fifa men that the government and the people of the country are behind the bid.Â
Jordaan says: ‘The visit to Mbeki by the inspectors is important as the endorsement of government is a requirement before Fifa can give us the World Cup.â€
He says the difference between this year’s tour and the one that took place during South Africa’s unsuccessful bid for the 2006 event is that the inspectors have decided which cities and what facilities they want to see.
Jordaan says it is imperative that South Africa is ranked in the same ‘A†category as last time, as that will indicate the country is ready to host the tournament, but he is confident there will be no dip in the ranking.
On the last occasion, South Africa lost to Germany — the only other country that was ranked A.
Jordaan says: ‘It is a demanding exercise, but I am convinced that our plan will give them sufficient reason that South Africa is ready to host the World Cup.â€
If South Africa wins the bid, 156 000 jobs will be created and it is estimated that R30-billion will flow into the economy.
No tour of South Africa by foreign dignitaries is complete without a visit to former president Nelson Mandela, and the Fifa inspectors will meet the great man at the end of their trip.
As South Africa will be celebrating 10 years of democracy next year, Jordaan stresses: ‘The greatest gift that they can give to South Africans and Mandela — who has epitomised democracy, peace and justice — is the right to host the 2010 World Cup.â€