FIFA puts $80 million into trust for South Africa
Reuters - Monday 13 December 2010, 17:40
JOHANNESBURG - FIFA is putting $80 million
into a trust for World Cup hosts South Africa to spend on football development, education, health and humanitarian projects, the
body's president Sepp Blatter said on Monday.
"The trust is the latest piece in our mosaic of 2010 FIFA
World Cup-related legacy activities for South Africa and the
African continent," Blatter said. "This is also a reward for
South Africans for having been such great hosts."
Another $20 million had been given to South Africa in the
build-up to the June-July tournament, FIFA said in a statement.
"We have always said that the first FIFA World Cup on
African soil should leave a lasting sports and social legacy
once the tournament is over," Blatter said. "This trust is yet
another concrete achievement in this area."
FIFA said auditors Ernst and Young would administer the
trust, to ensure that all the money was spent on projects that
would benefit the public.
South African President Jacob Zuma, who appeared with
Blatter at a news conference in Soweto, said the Cup had helped
to cushion his country's economy from the global downturn and
contributed to economic growth for this year.
"Now remains the difficult but most important task of
ensuring a lasting legacy and to build world-class national
teams both at youth and senior level," Zuma said in a statement.
"The FIFA World Cup Legacy Trust which is being launched
today is an important contribution to the achievement of that
goal."
At the news conference, Blatter said this month's decision
to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar
respectively was based on spreading the sport around the world
and not on financial reasons.
"We shall go to new territories," Blatter said. "Don't speak
about money. This has nothing to do with money."
Blatter has previously rejected allegations of corruption,
after criticism from media in the United States and Britain, and
called England's unsuccessful bid team "bad losers".
The 2018 Cup in Russia will be the first staged in Eastern
Europe after 10 editions in the western half of the continent.
Qatar will be the first Middle Eastern and first Arab
country to host a World Cup, and also the smallest nation.
Asked whether gays and lesbians should worry about attending
the World Cup in Qatar because of its hostile attitude toward
homosexuality, Blatter quipped: "They should refrain from any
sexual activities."
He swiftly went on to say that FIFA would not tolerate any
form of discrimination and that he was sure that everyone would
be able to attend and enjoy the World Cup in Qatar.