Tournament News
Bafana set up base at Wits
2010-03-11 16:59
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Pretoria - "It is a privilege and an honour for Wits University to welcome our national soccer team to Sturrock Park, adjacent to our Braamfontein campus, which will serve as their training base until the Soccer World Cup," says Prof. Loyiso Nongxa, Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal. "We are proud of Bafana Bafana and look forward to hosting them at Wits which will serve as their home, for the next few months."
The South African Football Association announced on Thursday that Bafana Bafana would be training at Sturrock Park, Wits University, Braamfontein.
Wits will also host the Netherlands National Football team (KNVB) on its East Campus in the lead up to, and for the duration of the World Cup. The Wits West Campus will also be used as a park and ride facility during this period.
The University is also home to the Wits FIFA accredited Medical Centre of Excellence, one of only six such centres in the world, opened in 2006, which will offer various medical and advisory services to selected stadia.
The chief medical officers at the Johannesburg Stadium and Soccer City are Wits staff and they will be assisted by Wits medical students.
Wits students will be on vacation during the World Cup.
"In addition, Wits staff and students from the Wits Business School are undertaking research on the economic benefits of the World Cup to the country, whilst Wits Journalism will run special courses for students from around the world, related to reporting on major events like the World Cup," adds Nongxa.
"Hundreds of our students and staff will serve as volunteers at various stadia in Gauteng while others will participate in the festivities of the Wake Cup, a civil society movement that will raise awareness of four key social issues in the run up to the World Cup."
Wits has dedicated some of its residences to youth who will be attending the World Cup, and has also allowed the South African Police Services to make use of one of its other residences.
"We are enthusiastic about participating in and contributing to one of the most prestigious international sporting events in the world and we look forward to celebrating this event with the rest of the world," concludes Nongxa.
Stan Whiting, CEO of the Bidvest Wits Football Club, based at Sturrock Park comments: "The legacy received from hosting the base camps of two nations at the University provides a massive boost for the Bidvest Wits FC. The Bidvest Wits FC professional and development teams will benefit in the future from playing and training on the international standard facilities that will be installed for use by Bafana Bafana and the KNVB and will enhance the activities of its social investment initiative, the Community Coach programme. The KNVB World Coach project, a programme that will be delivering new coaches into the current SAFA structures, will also be housed at the Sturrock Park football centre."
For more information from Wits University, contact Shirona Patel on (011) 717-1019 or 0846192646 or Shirona.Patel@wits.ac.za