Share

FIFA voice 2014 concerns

Sao Paulo - FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke, said Friday he had some "concerns" on the progress of preparations for the 2014 World Cup in the Amazonian city of Manaus.

"We are a little concerned about Manaus - the delivery date will be difficult to meet," Valcke told reporters in Sao Paulo, noting each of the 12 venues had to meet a range of tough criteria.

"For projects which could be late there is no plan B - taking away a stadium (off the list of venues) is still possible. The final draw (in December of next year) will serve as the deadline. That's when the decision will be taken," said Valcke.

"But if they can prove ahead of the draw that everything will be ready by January 20, 2014, that will be good (however) delivering a stadium six weeks before (the World Cup kicks off) in April 2014, no, this is not possible," said Valcke, who recently visited Manaus as part of a tour of the venues.

He added it was better to sound a warning with a year to go to avoid having the host nation asking thereafter "but why didn't you tell us?"

There have also been regular concerns expressed by FIFA about the mythical Maracana in Rio, where the final is due to be staged but which has been undergoing a massive overhaul.

"When you visit the Maracana site in Rio you ask yourself - 'but how are they going to do it?' But I am not an expert and the experts tell me that everything will be ready for a friendly on June 2, 2013 against England. So we believe them, we at FIFA believe them," said Valcke.

Earlier this year, Valcke infuriated the Brazilians by suggesting that their preperations were lagging across the board to the degree that they needed a "kick up the backside."

Since then he has been more conciliatory.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
32% - 1847 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1813 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1103 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 473 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 193 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 262 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE