For all you soccer fans out there, you probably already know that South Africa won the bid to host the 2010 World Cup, but for those of you who didn't know, please allow me the pleasure of sharing the news!
For South Africa, hosting the World Cup has been a 20-year journey from the end of apartheid, the government-sanctioned policy of racial separation, and the release from prison of Nelson Mandela, to the World Cup. In between, South Africa’s unsuccessful bid to host the 2006 World Cup, which went to Germany in a close vote. South Africa persisted, and was awarded the tournament in 2004 when the president of FIFA, Joseph S. Blatter, committed soccer’s worldwide governing body to taking its major men’s championships to the African continent.
Still some are skeptical on two counts: Can South Africa develop the infrastructure and man power to pull off such a feat, and is South Africa safe enough for an international tournament?
Since winning the bid, significant progress has been made on the 10 stadiums in nine cities that will be used for the World Cup. All stadiums are due to be finished by the end of 2009 or earlier. South Africa’s recent pedigree of hosting other major sporting events is impressive as well. Those include the World Cups of rugby, cricket, and track and field. In recent months, the country also played host to the entire season of the Indian Premier League of cricket.
SA believes they have a security plan in place and the World Cup will be played without incident.
Congratulations to South Africa for winning the bid to host the 2010 World Cup!
What do you think are the biggest safety concerns for the players and spectators at the games?
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