World Cup 2010

DOUBTS CAST OVER WORLD CUP 2010 AND EURO2012 HOSTS

It emerged over the weekend that for differing reasons, there are grave concerns over the suitability of the hosts for the next World Cup and European Championships. Sepp Blatter announced that a decision as to whether or not South Africa would be allowed to host the 2010 jamboree will be taken after the 2009 Confederations Cup. Security Reasons are put forward as the cause for concern, not likely to resolve themselves in the short term but a longer view is that the authorities in the country may well be able to control the situation. The politics is out of Blatter’s control and requires him to take more advice on board from political authorities worldwide before making the decision.

Meanwhile Poland and Ukraine are in danger of being dumped as hosts for Euro2012 by UEFA. Having recently taken the decision to increase the number of competing nations in the Finals to twenty-four from the current sixteen, Michel Platini is said to be concerned that the stadia will not be ready in time. Having just completed a successful and smoothly operated final, it would be a damaging blow to Platini’s policy of rewarding the ’smaller’ European nations, perhaps fatally so. Security fears were heightened with an outbreak of Polish hooliganism at Euro2008 but this should on it’s own not preclude those countries from hosting Finals. However, it might be the excuse UEFA are looking for.

Speculation surrounds the potential replacements for both competitions. For the World Cup, it would seem likely that a European country is most prepared for the event. The United States of America are the preferred option should Brazil fail to deliver and would most likely not be used as substitute hosts for the tournament. In Europe, there are several candidates for Finals in terms of stadia. The Germans had 2006, France 1998, whilst England is as capable as Spain as hosts.

The UEFA scenario muddies the waters further. Certainly last two are candidates for Euro2012 as well as Scotland and Wales who are seriously considering a joint bid for 2016. The central theme with all of this is that it is business as usual. Before every major tournament there are annual crises about the stadia. The South African scenario is different and potentially more difficult to resolve. Poland and the Ukraine have had the warning shots across their bows and will in all likelihood be ready ahead of schedule. For the World Cup, it is a case of adopting ‘wait and see’ as tactics. It would be hugely unfair on the African continent as a whole to lose the World Cup in two years time so there seems little doubt that for six weeks at least, the problems which beset them now will be swept under the footballing carpet.