Jordaan: 2010 enemies within

2007-10-16 22:01

Johannesburg - A scathing document proclaiming in the strongest terms South Africa's inability to stage the 2010 World Cup, which supposedly emanated from the Union of European Football Associations (Uefa), was on Tuesday denounced as a forgery by Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Joedaan.

"We have written confirmation of this from Uefa itself," said Jordaan at a media briefing following on a meeting of the LOC's Board of Directors at Safa House in Johannesburg.

"What is more," he added, "we have established the scurrilous document originates from within South Africa and is designed as a desperate attempt to derail our preparations for the World Cup by parties who are known to us."

Jordaan, however, refused to name the alleged forgers in a curious episode that has now taken on the trappings of a James Bond cloak-and-dagger melodrama.

On a more amenable note, The Board of Directors expressed satisfaction that the overall preparation for the 2010 World Cup and Fifa's Confederation Cup in 2009 remained on track.

At the meeting, which was attended by Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke, an update on preparations for next month's World Cup qualifying draw were also released - with the Fifa general secretary declaring it would be "of the highest level", while attracting 3 000 assorted officials and media representatives.

LOC chairperson Irvin Khoza said reports received after last week's Fifa inspection tour of venues in four of 2010 World Cup host cities were "very positive."

"The last month has been very active for us at the LOC," said Jordaan, "but also very rewarding. We have had an assortment of visitors extending from the Fifa Inspection team to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Franz Beckenbauer - and everyone came to the same conclusion that we are doing very well."

- SAPA