Thaindian News

By Sirshendu Panth

Zurich, Sept 21 (IANS) World soccer governing body FIFA Monday said security in South Africa, the host of next year’s World Cup, was as good as anywhere in the world and asked everyone to trust Africans and South Africa.

“Please support us by saying let’s go there, and trust Africans, trust South Africa. They are ready to organise the game and they can also organise your security. 100 percent security… you can never find it nowhere in the world,” FIFA president Joseph Blatter told mediapersons here.

Responding to a query from a scribe on security-related issues in South Africa, the FIFA top boss said he was surprised by such questions.

Pointing out that the Confederation Cup held in June in South Africa has attracted more spectators than the previous edition of the tournament in Germany four years back, Blatter said, “There was not a single incident regarding security. And still questions are being asked -’what about security?’. Security in South Africa is the security that you will find in other parts of the world.”

“And don’t forget that South Africa is a tourist country. Every year more than 11 million people travel to South Africa not for football, but because they like the country,” said the Blatter, 73, who has been FIFA president since 1998.

“Give me one country in the world where you can say I am secure. Only one. Not even here in the paradise of Switzerland. Definitely not,” he said.

The FIFA chief asserted that security for the June 11-July 11 event will be on the same scale as last year’s Beijing Olympics.

Blatter said every possible security measure was being taken for the tournament being hosted in the African continent for the first time.

“Whatever is possible we are doing together with the government of South Africa. And also with the institution looking after security. We are working together,” he said.

He said South Africa has the experience of organising the cricket world cup, the rugby world cup, besides ATP tournaments.

The International Olympic Committee will also meet next year in that country.

“Let’s go there. Let’s be in a country saying please come to South Africa. And we will receive you well,” Blatter assured.

He said organising the World Cup in South Africa was easier than hosting the event jointly in Japan and Korea in 2002. “It is easy to organise the World Cup in South Africa than the one in which we had in a combination in 2002. They were two different countries with different policies and two different systems,” he said.

To a query on World Cup sponsors Coca-Cola’s decision to award the tournament’s best goal celebration, he said “These celebrations must be done according to the respect and the discipline that players show in the field of play.

“It’s also an invitation to the players to behave well after having scored a goal. I also appeal to them ‘do it, but do it with discipline and respect’. And the best lot with respect and discipline will be rewarded,” he added.