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Morocco ready to withdraw 2006 bid
Posted: Wednesday January 19, 2000 04:25 PM
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- Morocco is ready to withdraw its bid to host the 2006 World Cup in favor of South Africa if the African Football Confederation decides it should do so to push a single African candidate, the head of Morocco's effort said Wednesday. But Driss Benhima, President of the National Committee of Morocco 2006 Bid, said they were disappointed because they do not hear South Africa saying the same thing. Benhima said the Cairo-based CAF should be the one to decide which is the best candidate to present the African bid. "We shall acept the decision of CAF," Benhima told reporters during a visit to Kenya to drum up support for Morocco's bid. He said Morocco would withdraw its bid once CAF had designated a candidate, even though withdrawal is not compulsory. The Moroccan official said his group already had carried its campaign to Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Togo, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe and plans to visit other African nations before FIFA's executive committee meets July 5-6 in Zurich, Switzerland, to chose the 2006 host. England, Germany and Brazil also are candidates. It was not immediately possible to obtain comment from CAF officials on the Moroccan announcement. FIFA president Sepp Blatter repeatedly has said he would like see Africa be selected as the host of the next World Cup, an many see that as support for South Africa. Africa has never staged the World Cup finals. It is generally considered that South Africa has the vastly better infrastructure of the two African candidates to host the World Cup -- most notably stadia, but a high crime rate is considered its biggest drawback. The killing of Kaizer Chiefs president Clarence Mlokoti in December during an attempted carjacking in Soweto was used by critics of South Africa's bid to emphasize its point. Benhima said Morocco is the best African candidate and stressed the North African country's low crime rate. "We have weaknesses, and the South Africans have weaknesses," Benhima said, "We think our weaknesses are manageable, and we think some weaknesses of South Africa are not manageable. We think we have the better bid." He did not elaborate on Morocco's weaknesses. Benhima said Morocco already has budgeted for the US$600 million required to host the World Cup in its next five-year development plan. "We consider hosting the World Cup very important in our development," he said, "But if CAF decides to chose South Africa, not only shall we withdraw, but we should support our brother South Africa." Morocco was the first African nation to participate in the World Cup finals in Mexico in 1970. He said the fact that Morocco withdrew from the 53-member Organization of African Unity because the body admitted the rebel Polisario organization seeking independence for Western Sahara, now occupied by Morocco, should not affect the success of their bid. The winner will need a majority of at least 13 votes cast by FIFA's 24-member Executive Committee. If there is a tie between the two candidates, FIFA President Sepp Blatter can cast the decisive vote.
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