Mark Namanya
22 June 2009
column
Pretoria — On September 16, 1994, South Africa declared her intention to host the 2006 World Cup. Around the same time, England, Morocco, Brazil and Germany also put in their bids.
Thanks to Oceanian delegate Charles Dempsey, South Africa was denied the right to host the last World Cup in the most dramatic, controversial if not mysterious fashion nine years ago.
Next year however, the 16-year project to bring the World Cup to Africa reaches fruition on June 11 when the opening match is played at the 94,000-seater Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg. It has been a demanding 16 years of campaigning, lobbying, debating and speculation. But now is the time. Finally Africa will be the centre of the football world.
No person has worked harder, amidst all the challenges, than Dr Danny Jordaan, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of South Africa's 2010 Fifa World Cup organising committee. Getting an appointment for this interview with the affable 59-year-old former Africa National Congress (ANC) politician was not easy for our team of African journalists.
In the middle of the 2009 Confederations Cup, he is constantly moving between the four host cities of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Rustenberg with Fifa's delegation while coordinating the progress of work in the other six towns that will host the World Cup.
Thanks to SuperSport, we succeeded in getting a 30-minute meeting with one of South Africa's most influential men and true to his nature, he afforded us an extra 20 minutes.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 2.30p.m. We arrived at the Sandton Convention Centre an hour early but can't get started until 3.00p.m. because Jordaan is concluding a Fifa meeting in a nearby room. When he takes his seat, fatigue is written allover him. But he grins to all in the room, too keen not to show weariness.
He is a hard worker and has been like that for the last couple of years. South Africa's 2010 tournament has kept him busy working round the clock at construction sites, press conferences and meetings. Regular internal and external flights have become his daily routine with the World Cup edging closer.
Jordaan accepts no credit for 2010. Strange. "That credit is for Nelson Mandela," he says of the man who epitomises present-day South Africa and is viewed as the single most telling reason why the Rainbow Nation won the bid. "Madiba (Mandela) struggled for a free and democratic South Africa, a South Africa that can compete equally with the best in the world - a country of hope for a better and brighter future." "When we host a successful 2010 Fifa World Cup, I hope Tata Madiba will look back and come to the conclusion that his efforts, travels and contributions were not in vain," he explains.
"I hope he will be smiling." Jordaan's home is in Port Elizabeth where the brand new Nelson Mandela Bay stadium is named after the country's first post-apartheid president.
The CEO sees no aim in reading too much into the Confederations Cup. "It must not be believed that the Confederations Cup is the World Cup. The World Cup and the Olympics are the two mega events in the sporting world. The Confederations Cup is simply a test for next year. At the World Cup, you have to be flawless."
Jordaan does however take delight in the positives thus far. "We are very happy. All the teams are happy. All the media and broadcasters are happy, the players are happy and the supporters have been tremendous. The training venues, stadium and accommodation facilities...superb." A key concern for Fifa has been the number of empty seats at stadiums in the group stages but Jordaan is confident the 2009 Confederations Cup will set the highest average attendance in the tournament's history.
"In France, the average was 30,000. In South Korea/Japan, it was 34,000. In Germany, it was 37,000. In South Africa as of now, the average is 34,000. By the time we play the semi finals and finals where the interest will be higher, the average attendance will no doubt go up. And we will have sold the highest number of tickets in the history of the Confederations Cup. 800,000 tickets were sold to 202 countries, 243,000 in Africa. The final is already oversubscribed by 3,000 people."
African challenges
That does not mean Jordaan hasn't noticed the poor attendance at the matches. "One thing we must know is that the Confederations Cup does not generate so much interest. None (tournament) has ever sold out all tickets. And we are also faced with two significant South African and, perhaps, African challenges. One is the late purchasing of tickets, the second is late entry into stadiums. These are two things Africans must change to make a better World Cup," he argues.
"When the game kicks off, the stadium is empty. When it is half time, the stadium is full. This conduct must change. Lateness at grounds create difficulties. A late surge of fans creates a rush at the turnstiles and when the people enter the stadium, they start searching for their seat numbers while looking at the action on the pitch and in so doing obstruct the view of those who arrived in time."
Although Jordaan knows this potential problem should be lessened with most of the spectators next year expected to come from Europe, he is urging African fans to buy tickets early and arrive at stadiums in time. "Kenyans, Ghanaians and a few others have acted and we hope the rest of Africa do the same."
Sections of the western media have consistently highlighted South Africa's high crime rate, workers' strikes and behind-schedule sites among the fears for 2010. A calm Jordaan is unfazed.
"Tell me one single country which doesn't have crime. We need to deal with the image makeover of the continent. No human being will take away this World Cup. We have won the right to host the World Cup together with Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu and I do not need anyone in Europe to tell me that we shall or shall not be ready. No other power except God can take the World Cup away. We have worked so hard and will continue doing so. The idea that there is a so-called Plan B is nonsense. Of the 40-50 countries in Europe, France, Germany and Italy have all hosted the World Cup twice. The last European Championship final was co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland. In 2000, Holland and Belgium co-hosted it. In 2012, Poland and Ukraine will co-host the Euro final. Is South Africa co-hosting?"
"We and you (journalists) do not need anyone to shape our opinions around what people outside of the continent perceive of us. Mandela is one of the greatest leaders of all time and is African. The World Cup is not dependent upon their wish. We will succeed. Fifa despite the global recession is in the best financial position in its 100-year history. The 2010 World Cup, Africa's first World Cup, has generated revenue of $3.2b which is the highest ever. We are as determined as ever that this tournament will make a lasting legacy."
Jordaan is delighted that the African continent is already reaping the benefits of the World Cup. "Countries like Namibia, Kenya, Rwanda, Mali and Ghana have been chosen as centres for football where education, health and poverty-eradication projects will be conducted. Fifa has also built artificial pitches in each African country to reward the continent's contribution to the global game."
Does he see an African team in the final? "Yes," he responds succinctly, before measuring his expectations. "African teams are their worst enemies. If African teams could prepare comprehensively, we would have a very good chance. The problem is that we love to make the wrong headlines. We fight for bonuses at the wrong time, fire coaches, suffer internal wrangling and so forth. In 1998, South Africa arrived at the World Cup as African champions while Nigeria were Olympic champions. We all know they failed. In 2002, Cameroon arrived as Olympic champions and also failed. Then in 2006, Togo embarrassed Africa in Germany with their off-pitch disputes. If we are united and prepared, we can achieve good results. See what the support at Ellis Park did to Egypt against the world champions Italy. The Cup needs meticulous planning, determination and focus. There is no two ways about that. For example, there are teams that have already finalised deals for their training grounds and accommodation. Italy have done it, Germany finished it as well as England and Holland. As I speak, a Paraguay delegation is here to do the same. No African team can think of that. African sides must make their arrangements in time. Years ago, Pele said an African team would win the World Cup but I knew that wouldn't happen. Soccer is not a lottery, planning is required."
Dubious officiating
Dodgy refereeing decisions have cost African teams at the World Cup, a thing Jordaan is too aware of. But rather than benefit from dubious officiating, which he is not expecting anyway, Jordaan wants an African team to win the tournament because "it presented the best team and not anything else."
"We do not want ifs and buts after July 11 2010. Ivory Coast have Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Kolo Toure and Yaya, all world class players. Egypt, alongside Spain, has the most efficient unit in world football in my opinion. But Africa's best teams are taken down by their own failures. Caf should probably do a symposium for all Africa's 2010 representatives before the tournament to help prepare teams. Ask yourself, when Yaya Toure plays for Barcelona, he is brilliant. When the same player goes to Ivory Coast, there is something missing. There is a certain platform of administrative support missing, Same applies to Samuel Eto'o and so many others. Efficiency, organisation and discipline are a must."
With just under a year to go, Jordaan knows there are challenges that need to be addressed by both Fifa and the Local Organising Committe (LOC). Thus there is no room for complacency. "We have to educate the fans in time, we have prevailing issues with the vuvuzelas and the park and ride system (where fans park their vehicles so far away to be taken free of charge by shuttles to the stadiums) has not been gladly welcomed. We are dealing with all these problems."
Controversial vuvuzelas
Asked why the vuvuzelas are a subject of debate, Jordaan clarified. "The rules are clear; no one can enter the World Cup pitch with a missile. A vuvuzela could pass for a missile. We have argued this with Fifa that the vuvuzela is part of South African and African culture and will help define our tournament. But there is always a possibility that other fans may take vuvuzelas to the pitch and use them for other things. That; we mustn't forget. A decision will be made by the world governing body Fifa once we sit to review the tournament (Confederations Cup). We have to understand that verdict will be in the interest of football and the World Cup."
South Africa's experience at hosting global sporting competitions gives the Rainbow country greater belief that the tournament with be successful, according to Jordaan. "This country has hosted the Africa Cup of Nations, the Rugby World Cup, the recent British and Irish Lions tour, the Cricket World Cup, the India Premier League and so much more. The passion it has for sports is obvious and the experience of handling a competition of the World Cup's size will not be new."
Jordaan is more than convinced the World Cup will be a watershed moment for South Africa and Africa. "I am optimistic people will talk about South Africa's pre and post 2010 for a long, long time. The 2010 Fifa World Cup must be the end of an era and the beginning of a new era. Our first bid (to host) started with Mandela as President, the 2010 bid with Thabo Mbeki as president and we are now going into the implementation phase of the tournament with Jacob Zuma as President. We have had three national elections and two local government elections over the course of this project meaning constant change in the people we have had to deal with. But the commitment from the South African government has been consistent." The World Cup, Jordaan emphasises, will be the realisation of Mandela's lifetime wish for South African people.
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Excellent well balanced article. We have been in contact with German, Dutch, Russian and Chinese media pro-actively as well to get the balanced stories out. Congratulations to South Africa for hosting an excellent Confed Cup.