South Africa divested of the world cup?

[THR]

There are rumours abound that FIFA-officials are not at all happy with the way how South-Africa has prepared for the 2010 tournament. Many stadia are completely inadequate to host world-cup matches and the schedule to bring things into control doesn't convince the FIFA-officials.

Sepp Blatter completely denies that there would be any plans to move the tournament elsewhere. He has said that according to plan A, plan B and plan C the tournament will be played in South-Africa. Only some natural catastrophe could change those plans.

Perhaps behind these rumours is the concern of many fans over the reputation of South-Africa. It is a very dangerous country with one of the highest murder-rates anywhere in the world. Many European fans just don't like the idea of travelling to that country. Hysteria or not, I don't know, but a fact how many people are thinking.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

[Sonic_exyouth]

There are rumours abound that FIFA-officials are not at all happy with the way how South-Africa has prepared for the 2010 tournament. Many stadia are completely inadequate to host world-cup matches and the schedule to bring things into control doesn't convince the FIFA-officials.

Sepp Blatter completely denies that there would be any plans to move the tournament elsewhere. He has said that according to plan A, plan B and plan C the tournament will be played in South-Africa. Only some natural catastrophe could change those plans.

Perhaps behind these rumours is the concern of many fans over the reputation of South-Africa. It is a very dangerous country with one of the highest murder-rates anywhere in the world. Many European fans just don't like the idea of travelling to that country. Hysteria or not, I don't know, but a fact how many people are thinking.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

The greeks showed that stadiums can be pulled up in the last minutes.
As for the crime, I can't imagine the South Africans will not organise a large crackdown - this is, after all, their projection unto the world
Then again, I've never been there, and the people I know from there hate the police there, so I'm not in that much of a position to judge!

[THR]

I'm sure things would really have to be terribly wrong if FIFA ever divested any country of the tournament. The plan B is so complicated. I don't even know whether it has ever happened that way round that FIFA would have told any country that sorry, we're going to take away the tournament from you and give it to someone else. I know that Colombia was supposed to host the 1986 tournament but they told in good time that they won't so that in 1982 that was already known.

This is actually very interesting. I'm sure there must be more than one so called backup-countries ready to host the tournament if the original country for some reason pulls out. I mean, the host country must play in the tournament itself so it must be a country which has qualified.

Theoretically speaking, what if the host-country pulls out when the qualifiers have started? Obviously, FIFA would name a new country but could that new country then stop playing in the qualifiers because its place in the tournament is certain? How about if the original host would like to play in the tournament even though it can't host it but the qualifiers have already started?

What if the host country pulls out very late, say six months before the tournament, when all the qualifying countries are known and even the gropus of the tournament have been drawn? Obviously FIFA would name one of them as a new host but would the groups be redrawn. Would the original host-country still be allowed to play in the tournament even though it hasn't played qualifiers.

[pauriceenjack]

there is no way south arficia can successfully host the world cup

[Unbeatable South Derry]

there is no way south arficia can successfully host the world cup

Why? Explain to us, with your vast knowledge of the nation and the ins and outs of running a major international competition.

[pauriceenjack]

The infarastructural programme is not being completed

[Unbeatable South Derry]

There is still over 2 years until the tournament! Did you think it was summer or something?

[pauriceenjack]

Have you been there recently

[freedomlover]

There are rumours abound that FIFA-officials are not at all happy with the way how South-Africa has prepared for the 2010 tournament. Many stadia are completely inadequate to host world-cup matches and the schedule to bring things into control doesn't convince the FIFA-officials.

Sepp Blatter completely denies that there would be any plans to move the tournament elsewhere. He has said that according to plan A, plan B and plan C the tournament will be played in South-Africa. Only some natural catastrophe could change those plans.

Perhaps behind these rumours is the concern of many fans over the reputation of South-Africa. It is a very dangerous country with one of the highest murder-rates anywhere in the world. Many European fans just don't like the idea of travelling to that country. Hysteria or not, I don't know, but a fact how many people are thinking.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

There is a negligible chance of the World Cup being moved out of South Africa, unless in the very unlikely event of there being a civil war there or widespread tribal conflict as occurred recently in Kenya. If it was moved out of S. Africa without such a very good reason, most African countries and probably some Latin American and Asian countries would boycott it. Third World solidarity. Both the rugby and cricket world cups have been held in S. Africa without much trouble.

[Unbeatable South Derry]

No I've never been, no doubt you will claim you have. What I do know is that the world cup is still a fair bit away yet, and saying as South Africa have experience in holding international competitions I can't see why Africa should not get a chance to hold a world cup