18 June 2009
Lagos — In spite of the perceived inclement climate in the Niger Delta region of the country, FIFA, the world football governing body have insisted all plans to have the tournament in Nigeria are still on course and that in that vein, nothing has changed in their plans to pay the country one last and final inspection visit, next month to see the state the bidding venues have reached with their facilities upgrade.
A federation official yesterday confirmed this much and stated that the world body fully intend to go on and "undertake a final inspection visit to the sites where there is a need, by the end of July. Prior to that, FIFA's administration will review all the host cities and stadiums in early July," said the official in a statement to AFP.
According to the AFP report, the female official reiterated the federation's position on a warning issued to FIFA on Monday by militants in southern Niger Delta against letting the country host the Under-17 World Cup tournament.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) urged FIFA to have a re-think about Nigeria hosting the football fiesta, saying that the "safety of international players and visitors cannot be guaranteed due to the current unrest".
The tournament is due to run from October 24 to November 15, and Nigeria has scheduled some matches to be played in the restive region. Concerning this statement, the official said: "FIFA received the full commitment from the Nigerian government, as well as additional guarantees requested by FIFA, specific to security and medical related issues, which were signed by President Umaru Yar'Adua."
Last Saturday, a FIFA delegation comprising secretary general Jerome Valcke, Vice-president and chairman of the FIFA U17 World Cup Organising Committee, Jack Warner and FIFA Vice-president who is also CAF president, Issa Hayatou, met the Nigerian Vice President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, on the hosting of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria.
At that meeting, the FIFA delegation received the full guarantee of the Nigeria government in both verbal and written forms.
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