The 10 South African stadiums for the 2010 World Cup will be ready on time, organisers said on Wednesday, after world football governing body Fifa inspected the sites.
”This inspection gave us a high comfort level of what is needed,” Fifa’s head of operations in South Africa, Ron DelMont, told reporters.
A 50-member delegation from Fifa and the local organising committee (LOC) inspected the five newly built stadiums over the last six days.
The team comprised experts in competition broadcasts, media operations, medical and transport logistics, and protocol.
The competitions chief for the LOC, Dereck Blanckensee, said preparations were on track for all stadiums to be completed within the first quarter of 2010.
”There are one or two minor problems which were pointed out to the host cities but nothing to worry about,” Blanckensee said.
DelMont said it was important for the host cities to have test events to fine tune operational plans.
LOC chief Danny Jordaan said: ”It is clear to me as we go towards the draw in December, we go in full confidence that everything will be in place and ready for a wonderful World Cup.”
He also announced that 570 new buses to be used during the World Cup were delivered on Wednesday.
”The buses are now a reality, not just a plan. There is also progress on the trains and rail in terms of transportation. In terms of safety we will also have a mobile police station on the train, so if you misbehave during the World Cup, you will be arrested on the spot.” — AFP
