Blatter upbeat on 2010

By Christelle du Toit, ITWeb senior journalist

Johannesburg, 15 Sept 2008

With the pending change in government administration causing jitters among some, Fifa president Sepp Blatter is in the country to allay fears around the country's World Cup preparations and preparedness, including those related to ICT.

The soccer world governing body's head addressed the media at the presidential guesthouse, in Pretoria, last night, where he was paying a courtesy visit to president Thabo Mbeki as part of an intensive four-day visit to the country.

According to Blatter: "The objective of this visit is to assure the whole country of Fifa's 100% commitment and trust [in] the organisational capability of the country."

ICT is one of the areas he believes are on track as far as preparations are concerned, although he hopes to get more insight into the ICT situation in the coming few days.

"We are monitoring, with interest and curiosity, the day-to-day workings [of SA]," noted Blatter. When it comes to issues like ICT, logistics and stadium preparations, he said: "I have no doubt everything will be done [in time]."

He hopes to be able to make more informed comments on the matter after his visit to SA.

Today, Blatter will visit Green Point stadium, in Cape Town, as well as meet with the mayor of that city, and the new premier of the province. Tuesday will see him visit Soccer City, in Johannesburg, and meet with the city's and province's authorities. He will also attend a local organising committee board meeting and address the media about the meeting's outcomes. On Wednesday, he will tour Ellis Park stadium and address the press.

Blatter's stadium visits come at a time when most of the six Confederations Cup stadiums - including the three being visited - are reported to be cabled and ready to provide bandwidth for the event that is seen as a pre-cursor for 2010.

Politics and ICT

Also on the tour agenda, and featuring already last night in both Blatter and Mbeki's comments, is the pending change in administration in SA, with national elections on the cards next year. Blatter is set to meet with ANC leader Jacob Zuma this week.

According to Blatter and Mbeki, the pending hand-over will not have a bearing on the 2010 preparations. Blatter said he had met with Zuma - the most likely presidential candidate - in the past, and Zuma is "already fully committed to the World Cup in 2010".

With regard to the ongoing speculation around contingency plans for the sporting event, Blatter said: "SA is the plan B and the plan C." This was an attempt to allay fears that countries like the US, Australia and Germany, with far better ICT infrastructure, could be the ace up Fifa's sleeve if SA does not make the cut.