South Africa World Cup chief reiterates country will be ready for 2010
11/6/2008 - NEW YORK – South African World Cup organizing chief Danny Jordaan reiterated Thursday that preparations for soccer’s quadrennial championship will be completed on time and that his country will produce a spectacular show.
Despite global credit issues, Jordaan said funding is not an issue on the 530 billion rand (US$51.6 billion) needed to complete infrastructure upgrades to the country nor the US$400 million needed for tournament operations.
“Our banks operate differently than international banks,” Jordaan said. “Out banks are stable.”
Besides improvements in transportation, accommodations and other infrastructure, South Africa is building five of the 10 stadia that will be used for the World Cup, renovating four, and overhauling one which will host the final: Soccer City in Johannesburg.
New stadia in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Polokwane and Nelspruit are scheduled to be finished no later than August 2009. The one that will not be ready until December 2009 is in Cape Town because of disputes with environmentalists and members of a local golf course that delayed the start of construction.
Jordaan, in town to give a presentation to the CONCACAF Executive Committee on Friday, spoke at a gathering of reporters arranged by the U.S. Soccer Federation. He addressed issues ranging from media facilities, hotels and currency exchange rates, to crime, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and the state of the South African national team.
CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer, also a member of the FIFA Executive Committee, offered support to Jordaan, saying he is repeatedly asked about whether the World Cup will be staged in South Africa.
“I can answer that with a resounding ‘yes’”, Blazer said. “It will happen. And will happen very well.”
Jordaan also tried to ease fears of reports of the crime rate in South Africa, noting that major areas will be monitored by surveillance cameras and that an additional 41,000 police and 40,000 stewards are being trained to provide security for the event.
He said tourism in his country has increased at the rate of 1 million annually over the past few years, reaching just past 9 million last year up from 1 million in 1994.
With Germany and the United States being the two countries that send the most tourists to South Africa, Jordan suggested that those visitors must have returned home happy.
“Otherwise we would see a huge drop,” he said. “I have visited Atlanta and been told there are certain areas that are not good. I’ve have been told the same of London. There are places in Johannesburg. In all big cities it is an issue. Security is our No. 1 priority. We want to have 10 million visitors by 2010.”
Having staged the 1995 Ruby World Cup, the 1996 African Cup of Nations, the 2003 Cricket World Cup and the cricket’s 20/Twenty World Cup last year, Jordaan expressed confidence that South Africa had the experience and was ready to handle soccer’s biggest event.
Despite global credit issues, Jordaan said funding is not an issue on the 530 billion rand (US$51.6 billion) needed to complete infrastructure upgrades to the country nor the US$400 million needed for tournament operations.
“Our banks operate differently than international banks,” Jordaan said. “Out banks are stable.”
Besides improvements in transportation, accommodations and other infrastructure, South Africa is building five of the 10 stadia that will be used for the World Cup, renovating four, and overhauling one which will host the final: Soccer City in Johannesburg.
New stadia in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Polokwane and Nelspruit are scheduled to be finished no later than August 2009. The one that will not be ready until December 2009 is in Cape Town because of disputes with environmentalists and members of a local golf course that delayed the start of construction.
Jordaan, in town to give a presentation to the CONCACAF Executive Committee on Friday, spoke at a gathering of reporters arranged by the U.S. Soccer Federation. He addressed issues ranging from media facilities, hotels and currency exchange rates, to crime, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and the state of the South African national team.
CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer, also a member of the FIFA Executive Committee, offered support to Jordaan, saying he is repeatedly asked about whether the World Cup will be staged in South Africa.
“I can answer that with a resounding ‘yes’”, Blazer said. “It will happen. And will happen very well.”
Jordaan also tried to ease fears of reports of the crime rate in South Africa, noting that major areas will be monitored by surveillance cameras and that an additional 41,000 police and 40,000 stewards are being trained to provide security for the event.
He said tourism in his country has increased at the rate of 1 million annually over the past few years, reaching just past 9 million last year up from 1 million in 1994.
With Germany and the United States being the two countries that send the most tourists to South Africa, Jordan suggested that those visitors must have returned home happy.
“Otherwise we would see a huge drop,” he said. “I have visited Atlanta and been told there are certain areas that are not good. I’ve have been told the same of London. There are places in Johannesburg. In all big cities it is an issue. Security is our No. 1 priority. We want to have 10 million visitors by 2010.”
Having staged the 1995 Ruby World Cup, the 1996 African Cup of Nations, the 2003 Cricket World Cup and the cricket’s 20/Twenty World Cup last year, Jordaan expressed confidence that South Africa had the experience and was ready to handle soccer’s biggest event.
| 11/19/2008 World Cup | ||
| 1630 | Suriname vs. Haiti | |
| 18:00 | USA vs. Guatemala | |
| 19:00 | Honduras vs. Mexico | |
| 19:30 | El Salvador vs. Costa Rica | |
| 20:00 | Jamaica vs. Canada | |
| 20:00 | Trinidad & Tobago vs. Cuba | |
Entradas
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario