Tournament News
SWC team camps finalised
2010-02-24 15:43
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Berlin - Football's controlling body FIFA on Wednesday announced the base camps of the 32 World Cup finalists.
Although most teams play just one match in the Gauteng province, many of the teams opted to base themselves near Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The defending champions Italy chose the Leriba Lodge in Centurion outside Pretoria, where they will be virtual neighbours of the American side, who will be based in the Irene Country Lodge.
Germany, who will be staying in the Velmore Hotel have also opted for Pretoria as a base, as have Diego Maradona's Argentina, Slovakia, North Korea, New Zealand and Ghana, who originally said they were going to stay in Nelspruit.
The only team now staying in Nelspruit, which is close to the Kruger Park, is Chile.
The hosts South Africa, who were due to use Esselen Park as their base, had to change after the president of the South African Football Association (SAFA) Kirsten Nematandani found the proposed venue unsuitable as it was run-down.
The team will now stay in the Southern Sun hotel in Graystone Drive and train at a local high school.
SAFA CEO Leslie Sedibe earlier in the week described the situation pertaining to the Bafana base camp as "embarrassing".
He said that the previous SAFA administration was responsible as they had failed to upgrade Esselen Park.
"We knew in May 2004 we would host the World Cup. Therefore, it was expected that SAFA would secure the best available training camp as we are playing at home.
"But we did not and now we are asking why and what went wrong.
"Here we are, the host nation, being the last team (of the 32 in the World Cup) to secure a training base for our team," he said.
Also staying in Johannesburg are Mexico, Honduras, Serbia, the Netherlands, Slovenia and five-time world champions Brazil.
Uruguay meanwhile, have chosen Kimberley, which is known for diamond mining, while the 1998 world champions France will stay in the Pezula Resort Hotel and Spa in Knysna on the world-famous garden route.
Also staying on the Garden Route are Denmark (Knysna) and Japan, who chose Fancourt Hotel and Country Club in George.
African hopefuls Nigeria, Algeria and Cameroon are all staying in Durban with Greece the other team opting for a stay in the warmer climate in the city on the Indian Ocean.
Paraguay is stationed just some 40km outside Durban in Pietermaritzburg.
Rustenburg will play host to England and South Korea, while Australia have chosen Kloofzicht Lodge in Muldersdrift as their base.
Ivory Coast and Switzerland will be staying in Vanderbijlpark on the banks of the Vaal river, while Portugal chose the Valley Lodge in Magaliesburg.
Euro champions Spain, who are considered one of the favourites for the title, are staying in Potchefstroom.
FIFA has, however, said that the teams are still in a position to change their base camps.
World Cup bases for the 32 finalists:
Algeria, Zimbali Lodge, KwaZulu-Natal
Argentina, High Performance Centre, Pretoria
Australia, Kloofzicht Lodge, Gauteng
Brazil, The Fairway, Johannesburg
Cameroon, Oyster Box, KwaZulu-Natal
Chile, Ingwenyama Conference Center, Lowveld
Denmark, Simola Hotel Country Club, Knysna
England, Bafokeng Sports Campus, Rustenburg
France, Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa, Knysna
Germany, Velmore Hotel, Centurion
Ghana, Rhoode Valley, Eastern Cape
Greece, Beverly Hills Hotel, KwaZulu-Natal
Honduras, The Indaba Hotel, Johannesburg
Italy, Leriba Lodge, Pretoria
Ivory Coast, Riverside Hotel & Conference, Vaal, Gauteng
Japan, Fancourt Hotel & Counry Club, George
Mexico, Thaba Ya Batswana, Johannesburg
Netherlands, Hilton Sandton, Sandton
New Zealand, Serengeti Estate, Gauteng
Nigeria, Hampshire, Durban.
North Korea, Protea Hotel Midrand, Johannesburg
Paraguay, Woodridge Country Estate, KwaZulu Natal
Portugal, Valley Lodge, Gauteng
Serbia, Sunnyside Park Hotel, Johannesburg
Slovakia, The Villas Luxury Suite Hotel, Pretoria
Slovenia, Hyde Park Southern Sun, Johannesburg,
Spain, NWU Campus, Potchefstroom
South Africa, Southern Sun Grayston, Sandton
South Korea, Hunters Rest Hotel, Rustenburg
Switzerland, Emerald Resort & Casino, Vanderbijlpark
United States, Irene Country Lodge, Pretoria
Uruguay, Protea Hotel Kimberley, Kimberley