Blatter gives thumbs up to Confed Cup
Reuters - Monday 29 June 2009, 13:34
JOHANNESBURG - FIFA president Sepp
Blatter gave organisers of the Confederations Cup a mark of 7.5
points out of 10 on Monday.
However, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said
transportation, security and other problems must be overcome
before next year's World Cup finals in South Africa.
Blatter told a news briefing he was impressed by the
football and most of the organisation at the two-week
tournament which ended with Brazil beating U.S. 3-2 in the final
on Sunday.
"I would say you (the organising committee) are at 7.5 out
of 10," said Blatter. "I hope you will be 8 out of 10 by the
time of the draw (for the finals in Cape Town in December) and
10 out of 10 when the World Cup starts.
"But right now you have to do a little bit more."
He said there were transportation problems linked with
accommodation adding, "we do not intend just to hide behind
compliments because South Africa is expecting 450,000 visitors
next year from all around the world and they are going to need
somewhere to sleep".
Valcke said football's governing body FIFA was aware of the
problems still to be solved.
"On top of the list, transportation is an issue.
Accommodation is an on-going problem as is security," he said.
TASK FORCE
"We have a Task Force working together helping on the
organisation of the World Cup and in 11 months we will deliver a
perfect system.
"There is no way we can give you a list of all the things
that still have to be done. Yes, the Park-and-Ride has not
worked, the media shuttle has not worked, the signage has not
worked," added Valcke.
"It was difficult to come in and out of the stadium and we
have to take into consideration the hundreds of thousands of
people coming for the World Cup. But there is not a single issue
which we do not think we can solve in the next 11 months."
Danny Jordaan, chairman of the local organising committee,
said the Confederations Cup, a test event for the World Cup, had
brought together all elements of society in South Africa in a
way that had never happened before.
However, he said the World Cup was now sharply in focus.
"Celebrations for a successful Confederations Cup should be
short," he said.
"The competition is over and this is the first day of the
World Cup. We will now bring the other host cities on board and
focus on the other issues like the draw and the finals."
The draw will be on December 4, with the World Cup beginning on
June 11 next year and ending on July 11.