The South African government on Thursday hit out at reports casting doubt on its ability to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Government spokesperson Themba Maseko said that ”sensationalist headlines” misrepresented Fifa president Sepp Blatter’s remarks that other countries were ready to take over.
Blatter said in a BBC interview earlier this week that ”we definitely must have a possibility to go somewhere else, but it must be a natural catastrophe”.
Blatter listed the United States, England, Japan, Spain, Mexico and Australia as potential alternatives — but stressed he was confident South Africa would be ready to stage an ”excellent World Cup”.
”It is regrettable, and in the case of South African media inexplicable, that Sepp Blatter’s unambiguous comments … were misrepresented as Sepp Blatter expressing doubt in our country’s capacity to stage the World Cup,” Maseko said after a Cabinet meeting.
Maseko said the Cabinet had ”expressed full confidence” that the stadiums and infrastructure would be ready in time for the 2010 quadrennial competition, the first time it will be held in Africa.
South Africa won the rights to host the tournament in 2004, but since then has been dogged by doubts about its ability to stage the event.
It faces big logistical problems in overhauling its transport system, updating infrastructure and boosting hotel capacity in order to cope with the expected influx of visitors.
There are also concerns that the stadiums won’t be ready — with the proposed semifinal venue in Cape Town proving particularly problematic due to a combination of political infighting and court challenges.
Local organising chief Danny Jordaan has repeatedly stressed that South Africa is on, if not ahead of, schedule.
South African officials also insist that they will take the necessary measures to beef up security and ensure that visitors do not fall victim to the country’s rampant crime. — Sapa-AP