The world's soccer governing body, Fifa, says it is now ready to confront South Africa's "2010 pessimists."
Addressing the Joint Committee of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces during the Special Measures Bill hearings at Parliament yesterday, the head of Fifa's World Cup office in South Africa, Michael Palmer, said the soccer body was now ready to confront the "pessimists" who believed South Africa was not capable of hosting a successful tournament.
"Our policy has always been that we don't comment on issues pertaining to a future tournament when there is another event in progress.
"Now that the Germany World Cup event is over, we are ready to respond to South Africa's 2010 pessimists," he said.
He dismissed recent media reports suggesting that Fifa was on the verge of moving the 2010 soccer World Cup tournament to Australia, as being uninformed.
"Had those people behind the reports bothered to conduct a basic research on that possibility, they would have easily realized that such a decision would have been impractical.
"How can you expect a country such as Australia, which happens not to be a soccer country, to prepare for an event such as the soccer World Cup in a space of less than four years?" he asked.
One of the main issues raised by MPs was the issue of trading within close proximity of the respective stadia.
Mr Palmer assured MPs that any restrictions on trade would be aimed at protecting the rights of Fifa's official sponsors.
"There will definitely be allocated areas for small business people.
"The corner shop next to the stadium won't be closed down," he said.
The CEO of the Local Organising Committee Danny Jordaan encouraged those companies that have been sponsoring South African soccer over the years to continue doing so.
"This event is not about Fifa, it's about our country (South Africa) and those companies that have been supporting soccer in the country should continue to do so.
"The fact that they might not have been nominated as Fifa official sponsors does not mean they should now stop doing the good work that they have been doing for local soccer," he said.
Meanwhile, the Portfolio Committee on Sports and Recreation passed the Special Measures Bill yesterday.
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