SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - South Africa president Jacob Zuma and FIFA president Sepp Blatter call South Africa World Cup a success

Record ID: 455972

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - South Africa president Jacob Zuma and FIFA president Sepp Blatter call South Africa World Cup a success
  • Date: 5th July 2010
  • Summary: ALEXANDRA TOWNSHIP, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (JULY 4, 2010) (REUTERS) FIFA PRESIDENT SEPP BLATTER AND SOUTH AFRICA PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA ENTERING ARTIFICIAL PITCH ZUMA AND BOY HOLDING 'FOOTBALL FOR HOPE' TROPHY (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIFA PRESIDENT SEPP BLATTER SAYING: "At Football for Hope festival, it is to connect people, to bring people together, people from all around the world to enjoy this game. You know we have this World Cup in South Africa, it is for the African continent, no it is for the whole world." CHILDREN FROM URUGUAYAN DELEGATION STANDING ON PITCH LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH AFRICA PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA SAYING: "Even when we started to build stadiums etc, people said 'not in Africa' and asked him (pointing to Blatter) to prepare for what they called 'Plan B'. Which would be the country that would then have to take over, they even said 'Maybe Australia or Brazil' because people didn't believe we could do it and yes, we have done it, this has been a wonderful tournament, now topping it up is Football for Hope." GIRLS FROM LOCAL ALEXANDRA SOCCER TEAM LISTENING VARIOUS OF CROWD LISTENING BLATTER AND ZUMA POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS WITH TEAMS FORMED BY DISADVANTAGED YOUTHS ZUMA, BLATTER AND FIFA VOLUNTEER HOLDING 'FOOTBALL FOR HOPE' TROPHY CROWD WATCHING URUGUAYAN TEAM KICK OFF 'FOOTBALL FOR HOPE' TOURNAMENT AGAINST LOCAL SIDE FROM ALEXANDRA TOWNSHIP ALEXANDRA GOALKEEPER WATCHING URUGUAYAN GIRL PASSING BALL JOURNALISTS AND GUESTS WATCHING URUGUAYAN GIRL SCORING GOAL CROWD CHEERING
  • Embargoed: 20th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA2GMZ2FE7HWU6KJ1F71FQ23CUR
  • Story Text: FIFA President Sepp Blatter and South Africa President Jacob Zuma said on Sunday (July 4) that the 2010 World Cup in South Africa was a success that had proven many critics of Africa wrong.
    The two men spoke at the official launch of the 'Football for Hope' programme which aims to improve the lives of young people around the world through soccer.
    Blatter said the first World Cup to be staged on the African continent was a celebration for everyone.
    "At Football for Hope Festival, it is to connect people, to bring people together, people from all around the world to enjoy this game. You know we have this World Cup in South Africa, it is for the African continent, no it is for the whole world," he said.
    Zuma said his country had staged a good tournament so far and blasted critics who had argued South Africa would not be ready to host a tournament of such a magnitude.
    "Even when we started to build stadiums etc, people said 'not in Africa' and asked him (pointing to Blatter) to prepare for what they called 'Plan B'. Which would be the country that would then have to take over, they even said 'Maybe Australia or Brazil' because people didn't believe we could do it and yes, we have done it, this has been a wonderful tournament," he said to loud cheers from locals that had gathered from the Alexandra township.
    With only four matches remaining for the World Cup, the tournament has nearly passed without major incidents that could have exposed doubts over FIFA's decision to chose South Africa as the hosts of the biggest event for a single sport.
    The Football for Hope programme brings together teams of youths from dozens of countries across the world and attempts to use sport as a tool for educational awareness on issues such as HIV, landmines and drug use.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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