Organizers poised to financial crisis impact on 2010 World Cup
22/11/2008 12:18
ORGANIZERS of the South Africa 2010 World Cup are adopting a wait-and-see
approach to the impact of the global financial crisis on the world premier
soccer tournament.
"We will just have to wait and see," said the World
Cup chief executive Danny Jordaan when asked in Sandton what the impact of the
current economic turmoil might be on the event.
He said there were
indications that the financial situation should improve by the second half of
2010.
"Even if you accept people will have fewer dollars in their
pockets, these dollars will provide more rands.
"That will have an
impact as people may still travel as a destination becomes a cheaper destination
but we'll just have to wait and see how things pan out."
FIFA secretary
general Jerome Valcke said in any case hundreds of thousands of people were not
expected because few tickets were actually available for the event.
He
said since the World Cup was played every four years, "it is one of those events
we are waiting for, so if your team qualifies, you just come".
Valcke
said even though there was a serious financial crisis going on, he was "not
afraid", as the sport remained a "safe business".
"At FIFA we are very
old women, so we are very careful with our money," he said.
Jordaan also
said ticket prices for next June's FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa would
remain the same despite global exchange rate fluctuations.
The draw for
the Confederation Cup, which features eight teams -- Italy, South Africa, Spain,
Brazil, Egypt, Iraq, New Zealand and the United States, will take place at the
Sandton convention centre in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Valcke said the
Confederations Cup would give FIFA a chance to check the structures for the
World Cup.
"It will give us a road map of what we must improve, add or
change... We are confident," he said.
In terms of preparations for the
2010 Cup, LOC chairman Irvin Khoza said even if all World Cup stadium were not
ready by the December 31 deadline, they would be ready by the end of January at
the latest.
He also dismissed reports that FIFA had bullied any of the
host cities into meeting additional requirements as budgets began to overrun.
Valcke said he had signed a letter yesterday saying FIFA would ensure
that sit-down discussions would take place if any big requests over and above
the requirements already agreed to were needed.
"We will first sit down
and discuss if we are good for this," he said.
|
