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Us against the World (Cup) South Africans feel betrayed by FIFA's decision
Posted: Friday July 07, 2000 05:45 PM
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) -- The Mail and Guardian newspaper summed up South Africa's mood Friday: "First World uber alles." The bitter headline reflected the attitude of many in South Africa, and throughout the continent, which felt it had been snubbed when FIFA selected Germany as the host of the 2006 World Cup on Thursday. "By turning its back on South Africa and Africa, FIFA has betrayed its own motto: 'For the good of the game,'" the Sowetan, South Africa's biggest daily, said in a front-page editorial criticizing the FIFA's Executive Committee. The panel chose not to award Africa its first World Cup, instead going to Germany for a second time and to Europe for a 10th. South Africans, some of who cried at street festivals prepared to celebrate the announcement that the World Cup was coming, were outraged Friday and the South African bid committee said it would investigate the voting process. The promise to probe the ballot procedure came amid claims by Oceania Football Confederation president Charles Dempsey of New Zealand that he received "intolerable pressure," leading to his abstention in the Executive Committee's vote. Dempsey had instructions to vote for England, or South Africa should England be eliminated. After England was eliminated, he abstained leaving the vote 12-11 in favor of Germany over South Africa. Had Dempsey voted for South Africa, the vote would have been tied, and FIFA President Sepp Blatter would have been granted a second, tie-breaking vote. Blatter had openly advocated awarding the 2006 World Cup to Africa. South African bid head Danny Jordaan said it was too early to say whether the vote would need to be retaken, a highly unlikely scenario. "FIFA will establish what exactly happened. We will have to wait and see," he said. Jordaan said he was not ready to consider whether South Africa should make a pitch for the 2010 World Cup. "I want to have a break now. I want to have a holiday. After that, I will be able to discuss that with the South African Football Association," he said. In South Africa, New Zealand and elsewhere, Dempsey was sharply criticized for abstaining. He responded that he had "strong reasons" for his actions. The anger was so powerful that President Thabo Mbeki felt it necessary to send a letter to New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark assuring her the two countries' relations would not be damaged by the vote, according to Mbeki's office. Mbeki said in the letter that he was confident Dempsey's abstention was against Clark's and all New Zealander's wishes. In a telephone call before the bid was announced Thursday, Clark gave Mbeki New Zealand's "support and best wishes" for South Africa's bid, a spokesman for Clark said.
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