SOUTH AFRICA: With 63 days to go FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke says South Africa is ready for the World Cup
Record ID:
455844
SOUTH AFRICA: With 63 days to go FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke says South Africa is ready for the World Cup
- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: With 63 days to go FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke says South Africa is ready for the World Cup
- Date: 9th April 2010
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, (APRIL 08, 2010) (REUTERS) WIDE OF THE NEWS CONFERENCE SPOKESMAN FOR 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP ORGANISING COMMITTEE SOUTH AFRICA (OC), RICH MKHONDO SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIFA SECRETARY GENERAL JÉRÔME VALCKE SAYING: "I think that where we are now, is that we are ready, we just....we have very strong and very nice stadiums, even Jim Brown the director of the competitions told me that the stadiums in South Africa are better, nicer than the ones we got in Germany for 2006, so it's an important statement. What we need now is to run a number of test events to make sure that we can, we have to train people, and that we can work within these stadiums, and within these infrastructures, so that is what we have to do for the next 60 days, it's an important work because you can have beautiful cars if you don't have any drivers...I mean it's nonsense, so that's where we are." WIDE OF THE NEWS CONFERENCE PANEL ADDRESSING THE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIFA SECRETARY GENERAL JÉRÔME VALCKE SAYING: "I would say that security is everywhere you organise an event with more that one person, security becomes a question but again I think that we have done the maximum to ensure that the highest level of security, and to be honest it's true that when you organise an event you are waiting for the end, for the final, for the 12th of July to make sure that everything went well and you can say gosh it's over." MEDIA SEATED DURING THE NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR DANNY JORDAAN, CEO OF THE LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE OF THE 2010 WORLD CUP: "The concert is not the only opportunity, I just told you, there is an opening ceremony, a closing ceremony, there's many other concerts, and other opportunities for all of the artists. So I think it would be wrong to present the position as if the only thing that is going to happen in this World Cup is that concert on the 10th, and if you miss that opportunity, well then there's no other opportunity anymore, that position is clearly wrong." NEWS CONFERENCE FINISHING OFF, MEDIA STANDING AROUND
- Embargoed: 24th April 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA3OTVPL42QX475CVM9QMUMU34Q
- Story Text: FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke says that South Africa has made the maximum preparations to ensure that the FIFA World Cup starting in 63 days will be safe.
Speaking in Johannesburg on Thursday (April 8), Valcke said major work has been done and the stadiums are ready. Now there needed to be test days, he said, so that the people were trained to use the facilities.
"We have very strong and very nice stadiums, even Jim Brown the director of the competitions told me that the stadiums in South Africa are better, nicer than the ones we got in Germany for 2006, so it's an important statement," said Valcke. "What we need now is to run a number of test events to make sure that we can, we have to train people, and that we can work within these stadiums, and within these infrastructures, so that is what we have to do for the next 60 days The Board also discussed various issues and concerns recently raised by local artists, complaining that they have been deprived of opportunities to perform during the World Cup.
Dr Danny Jordaan, CEO for the Local Organising Committee (LOC) 2010 World Cup said that there would be lots of concerts and opportunities to perform, and it was wrong to concentrate on a concert on June 10, just before the opening ceremony.
"The concert is not the only opportunity," said Jordaan. "There is an opening ceremony, a closing ceremony, there's many other concerts, and other opportunities for all of the artists so I think it would be wrong to present the position as if the only thing that is going to happen in this World Cup is that concert on the 10th.
Local artists have complained that South African acts are not going to be featured enough in the concert, and Jordaan confirmed that a meeting has been scheduled for April 12 with members of the Creative Workers Union of South Africa to discuss the issue.
Up to 2,000 performers will be part of the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony and 800 will take part in the closing event. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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