Courtesy of Inside World Football Forum in Moscow
FIFA General Secretary launches attack on Brazil's World Cup preparations...
By Andrew Warshaw
June 24 - Brazil's preparations for the 2014 World Cup came under attack today from FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke, who warned the five-time winners of the tournament were lagging behind schedule and were not the best model for 2018 hosts Russia to copy.
Speaking at the inaugural Inside World Football Forum in Moscow, Valcke said South Africa last year represented a far better blueprint for any country wishing to hold the biggest football tournament on the planet.
Giving the keynote address to a packed audience in the Russian capital, Valcke said the World Cup could not be compared to the Olympics - which Rio is also hosting in 2016.
Issuing a major wake-up call to the Brazilian organisers, Valcke declared: "It is clear to understand that an Olympic tournament is one city.
"The World Cup is a national event.
"There is a lot of work to deliver.
"We don't have stadiums, we don't have airports, we don't have a national transportation system in place and we are one month away from the preliminary draw."
Unlike Brazil, Valcke said Russia needed ideally to be ready two or three years before hosting in 2018 in order to avoid the kind of pitfalls that have dogged the South American country, even among its most iconic venues.
"The Maracanã (pictured) is definitely not currently a World Cup stadium and that's why it's closed," he said.
"It will be ready at the last minute, a few months maybe, even a few weeks before the tournament if they don't speed up the process.
"In Sao Paolo, the main city in Brazil, they will not even be able to play the Confederations Cup in 2013 because the stadium will not be ready."
Valcke poured further scorn on Brazil by suggesting Russia, which has to build 13 of its 16 stadiums from scratch, was already ahead when it comes to financial backing.
"We have to say we are far more advanced in Russia than we are, even today, in terms of government guarantees in Brazil," he said.
"We have a level of support from the Russian Government which is quite amazing."
Valcke suggested Russia look to South Africa rather than Brazil if they need any encouragement.
"In South Africa the main goal was to show the world that Africa could organise a World Cup," he added.
"In Brazil in a way the main issue is to win it.
"Otherwise they will talk about failure.
"There is not a country in the world that could potentially organise the World Cup tomorrow except one - South Africa."
"There was a time when people were talking about a Plan B for South Africa.
"I can tell you that South Africa is now a Plan B for anywhere else.
"Russia has a lot of decisions to make, including host cities, ideally by 2015.
"It will be a long journey but FIFA will support Russia 1,000 percent."
Valcke's brief appearance was conspicuous by his total refusal to discuss the crisis that has enveloped FIFA over the past few weeks.
Normally approachable and forthcoming, he looked particularly nervous about being asked any questions to do with the bribery scandal that has paralysed the organisation, almost as if he had been briefed by his boss, Sepp Blatter, not to get into any more scrapes following his infamous comments about the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
"I'm here to talk about football," Valcke told his audience.
"Sometimes at FIFA we need this."
http://tinyurl.com/62bndaw
The decision regarding the hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ to Brazil was made after the Inspection Team provided to the FIFA Executive Committee a Comprehensive and Informative Report.
FIFA General Secretary launches attack on Brazil's World Cup preparations...
By Andrew Warshaw
June 24 - Brazil's preparations for the 2014 World Cup came under attack today from FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke, who warned the five-time winners of the tournament were lagging behind schedule and were not the best model for 2018 hosts Russia to copy. Speaking at the inaugural Inside World Football Forum in Moscow, Valcke said South Africa last year represented a far better blueprint for any country wishing to hold the biggest football tournament on the planet.
Giving the keynote address to a packed audience in the Russian capital, Valcke said the World Cup could not be compared to the Olympics - which Rio is also hosting in 2016.
Issuing a major wake-up call to the Brazilian organisers, Valcke declared: "It is clear to understand that an Olympic tournament is one city.
"The World Cup is a national event.
"There is a lot of work to deliver.
"We don't have stadiums, we don't have airports, we don't have a national transportation system in place and we are one month away from the preliminary draw."
Unlike Brazil, Valcke said Russia needed ideally to be ready two or three years before hosting in 2018 in order to avoid the kind of pitfalls that have dogged the South American country, even among its most iconic venues.
"The Maracanã (pictured) is definitely not currently a World Cup stadium and that's why it's closed," he said.
"It will be ready at the last minute, a few months maybe, even a few weeks before the tournament if they don't speed up the process.
"In Sao Paolo, the main city in Brazil, they will not even be able to play the Confederations Cup in 2013 because the stadium will not be ready."
Valcke poured further scorn on Brazil by suggesting Russia, which has to build 13 of its 16 stadiums from scratch, was already ahead when it comes to financial backing.
"We have to say we are far more advanced in Russia than we are, even today, in terms of government guarantees in Brazil," he said.
"We have a level of support from the Russian Government which is quite amazing."
Valcke suggested Russia look to South Africa rather than Brazil if they need any encouragement.
"In South Africa the main goal was to show the world that Africa could organise a World Cup," he added.
"In Brazil in a way the main issue is to win it.
"Otherwise they will talk about failure.
"There is not a country in the world that could potentially organise the World Cup tomorrow except one - South Africa."
"There was a time when people were talking about a Plan B for South Africa.
"I can tell you that South Africa is now a Plan B for anywhere else.
"Russia has a lot of decisions to make, including host cities, ideally by 2015.
"It will be a long journey but FIFA will support Russia 1,000 percent."
Valcke's brief appearance was conspicuous by his total refusal to discuss the crisis that has enveloped FIFA over the past few weeks.
Normally approachable and forthcoming, he looked particularly nervous about being asked any questions to do with the bribery scandal that has paralysed the organisation, almost as if he had been briefed by his boss, Sepp Blatter, not to get into any more scrapes following his infamous comments about the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
"I'm here to talk about football," Valcke told his audience.
"Sometimes at FIFA we need this."
http://tinyurl.com/62bndaw
The decision regarding the hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ to Brazil was made after the Inspection Team provided to the FIFA Executive Committee a Comprehensive and Informative Report.
The inspection team commenced their work with the basics, namely a review of all documentation from the Bid Book to establish compliance by the bid committee with all the requirements outlined in the Bidding Agreement. Brazil's Bid Book and other documentation had been duly submitted by the required time (31st July 2007) and the inspection team commenced their first visit on the 23rd August, 2007.
The Brazilian football association (CBF) arranged dates for the inspection team's tour of five cities and they also met representatives from a further 13 potential host cities whilst on their visit to Rio de Janeiro. The presentations given by the 13 cities, the inspection team found were in their opinion "Professional and Passionate" allowing the team to acquire a "good sense of the potential for success of each of the prospective host cities.
Brazil's recent economic development no doubt was one of the key factors that "further enhanced" the country being awarded the right to host the FIFA 2014 World Cup™ and the site visits enabled the inspection team to see "for themselves the proposed financial investments".
3 August 2000
of FIFA World Cup™ rotation
The FIFA Executive Committee agrees on the principle5 August 2000
in Zurich
This decision is ratified by the 52nd Ordinary FIFA Congress15 March 2001
will begin in Africa
The FIFA Executive Committee decides that the rotation7 July 2001
in Buenos Aires
This decision is ratified by the Extraordinary FIFA Congress6 March 2003
to CONMEBOL’s request that South America be conferred
the right to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup™
The FIFA Strategic Studies Committee gives its full backing7 March 2003
will organise the 2014 FIFA World Cup™
The FIFA Executive Committee decides that South America22 December 2006
Colombia and Brazil in hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup™
The FIFA Executive Committee confirms the interest of1 February 2007
2014 FIFA World Cup™ to the countries interested
in organising the 2014 FIFA World Cup™
FIFA sends the Form of Hosting Agreement for the16 April 2007
to submit a fully executed Bidding Agreement to FIFA
FIFA’s deadline to the interested member associations31 July 2007
their interest by submitting a fully executed copy of
the Hosting Agreement for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™
and the effective government guarantees
FIFA’s deadline to the interested countries to confirm23 August-
1 September 2007
Inspection visit to Brazil29 October 2007
Home of FIFA
Final presentation of the bidding association at the30 October 2007
association will host the 2014 FIFA World Cup™The FIFA Executive Committee decides which memberAfter winning the hearts of CONMEBOL’s executive committee and the FIFA Executive Committee confirmed that South America would organise the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Brazil became aware (or should have), that it would be depending on itself. At every level in Brazil from the government, "by the Bid LOC"and by the Brazilian public as a whole as stated in the 'Executive Summary' of Brazil...
Football
Stadiums: Eighteen stadiums for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™* submitted for consideration:
- 14 to be renovated
- 4 to be built
*Definitive number of host cities and stadiums to be decided
Training facilities: Excellent facilities; although some would require improvements
Standard of football: Best football history – five-time FIFA World Cup™ winners
General country infrastructure
Transportation: Air and urban transport infrastructure would comfortably meet the demands of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™
Media and Excellent facilities to handle the telecommunications: 2014 FIFA World Cup™
Hotels: Good hotel infrastructure exists in a sufficient number of the prospective host cities. Care will have to be taken not to overburden certain host cities by allocating later matches or designating them to host key events or facilities suah as the FIFA Congress or the International Broadcast Centre.
Safety and security: Lack of security in certain parts of the country, but the authorities have the know-how and resources to improve the situation before 2014 and would have the determination to manage it during the 2014 FIFA World Cup™
Medical centres: Adequate network to fulfil the medical needs of a FIFA World Cup™
Finance
Budget for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™: Well prepared.
Ticketing: The representations made by the bid LOC in the Bid Book are indicative of a clear understanding of FIFA's ticketing policy and operations plan and the supporting role the LOC would play in their implementation.
Legacy
Country: The 2014 FIFA World Cup™ will stimulate investment in transport and accommodation infrastructure and will bring any outdated football facilities up-to-date.
Football: In a country with a very strong football culture, the hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ might help the member association to improve attendances at football matches.
Some of the stadiums will not be built or renovated if the 2014 FIFA orld Cup™ is not awarded to Brazil.
So in the interim, why are there these delays in meeting scheduled and timely work-in-progress arrangements?
The staging of the FIFA World Cup™ is a formidable challenge for any country. My little homeland Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud), known globally as New Zealand has been privileged to host 2 previous FIFA World Cup™ tournaments. The 1999 FIFA U-17 World Cup™ and the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup™ in 2008 and now we have scored...'A Hat Trick' in that my homeland will be the host nation of the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup™.
We are only a nation that has a population of 4.5 million, but we KIWI's are Sports Mad...Give anything a go, no matter the risks but like any nation we have fallen on hard economic times with one of our 'family cities experiencing an earthquake tragedy and ongoing earth tremors' but we are 'Survivors' and No Mtter the Adversity Thrust Upon Us...We have that Mental Toughness to Pick Orselves Up...Help each other out and 'Move On'.
I do hope that Brazil will up the Ante, you have the manpower, the economic resources to fulfil what I consider their Hosting Bid Pesentation was about...A Contractural Promise To Deliver.
M'agradaria que la gent del Brasil, tot el millor i estar fort i en la meva llengua materna Et Reu Maori ... Kia Kaha Kia Koutou Katoa Tihei Mauriora.
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