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SA ponders Olympic bid
Durban - Still on a Soccer World Cup high, South Africa is
already looking for a new sports fix which could be a bid for
the Olympics.
South Africa poured $5bn into the first World Cup in Africa and
largely overcame fears about crime and poor transportation,
hosting a widely applauded tournament.
Now, as many South Africans voice sadness at the end of the
party, the country is looking at ways to keep up its new
international profile and maximise the investment, including a
potential Olympics bid.
President Jacob Zuma said the World Cup had proved South Africa
has the resources and infrastructure to host the Olympic Games,
which have never been held in Africa.
"I don't see why we can't bid to host the Olympics in the
future. It's important for Africa," he said in an interview with
football governing body FIFA.
International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said he
would be glad if a South African city made a host bid.
"I think it's absolutely normal that they think of the future;
what next after the FIFA World Cup?" the president of the IOC
chief said. "So we're glad that they're thinking about the
Olympic Games."
Cape Town sought in 1997 to become the first African host of the
Olympic Games, but failed to win the 2004 edition and the
country turned its focus to the World Cup.
The race to stage the 2020 Olympic Games opens next year, with
an IOC decision in 2013.
Indian Ocean port city Durban has already dropped hints of an
Olympic bid after getting glowing reviews during the World Cup
for its seaside fan park, warm beaches and soaring new $450m
stadium.
"When we started preparing for the World Cup, we developed a
strategy called '2010 and Beyond'. We said whatever we do in the
city must be looking at beyond the World Cup," the city's
general manager, Michael Sutcliffe, told AFP.
"When we built the new stadium, (we said) it must accommodate
the Olympics, must be able to accommodate the Commonwealth
Games, accommodate international athletics, so we built the
stadium under the same requirements that you would need for FIFA
World Cup and the Olympics."
The city will get to show off its facilities in July 2011, when
the IOC will meet in Durban to choose the 2018 Winter Olympic
host.
Gideon Sam, the president of the South African Sports
Confederation and Olympic Committee said Cape Town, Johannesburg
and Pretoria would also be contenders for the Games.
Sam said there was a lot of work to do before launching an
Olympic bid.
"At this point in time, there are no cities that have the
requisite infrastructure that the Olympic movement would need,"
he said.
But he said the World Cup had given South Africa the confidence
to go for the Games.
"By all reports, it seems everybody's satisfied with the way
that South Africans have pulled this one off (the World Cup). I
think it has given them confidence to go another step further."
- News24
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Iniesta
wins FIFA 2010 World Cup for Spain
Spain won the World Cup for the first time when they beat
Netherlands 1-0 after extra time thanks to a goal by midfielder
Andres Iniesta. Iniesta fired home the winner when he was put
through in the area by Cesc Fabregas. Keeper Maarten
Stekelenburg dived to his right and got a hand to the ball he
could not keep it out.
The defeat was heartbreaking for the Dutch, who were down to 10
men after John Heitinga was sent off in extra time. It was their
third World Cup final loss after 1974 and 1978. European
champions Spain had looked the more assured early on in the
clash at Soccer City as a nervous-looking Dutch side ceded
territory to their slick opponents.
Stekelenburg was forced into a save after five minutes when
Sergio Ramos headed a Xavi cross goalwards while Spain forward
David Villa crashed a volley into the side netting with the goal
looming. But a series of freekicks and bookings, including two
strong challenges by Dutch midfielders Nigel de Jong and Mark
van Bommel, shook Spain out of their rhythm and stopped them
from producing the swift-passing game that got them to the
final.
Bizarre incident
Netherlands offered little in attack and the nearest they came
to a first-half goal was a bizarre incident when Gregory van der
Wiel attempted to give the ball back in an act of sportsmanship.
The fullback's 60-metre punt bounced up and over Spain captain
Iker Casillas, forcing the startled keeper to leap and tip it to
safety.
The game continued with frequent stoppages and few chances,
until Wesley Sneijder split the Spanish defence with a
perfectly-weighted ball into the path of Arjen Robben after 62
minutes only for Casillas to save brilliantly with his feet. In
a lively end to normal time Villa had a shot blocked in front of
the line, an unmarked Ramos headed wildly over the bar from five
metres out and Puyol was lucky to escape punishment after
hauling down a furious Robben.
In extra time it was Stekelenburg's turn to save with his feet
when substitute Fabregas was sent clear by Iniesta. Netherlands
had to play with 10 men for the last 10 minutes of extra time
when John Heitinga was sent off for hauling down Iniesta on the
edge of the box. The little midfielder got back on his feet and
soon after was celebrating scoring the winning goal in the World
Cup final to send the delighted Spanish fans into raptures.
Netherlands: 1-Maarten Stekelenburg; 2-Gregory van der Wiel,
3-John Heitinga, 4-Joris Mathijsen, 5-Giovanni van Bronckhorst
(15-Edson Braafheid 105); 7-Dirk Kuyt (17-Eljero Elia 71),
6-Mark van Bommel, 10-Wesley Sneijder, 8-Nigel de Jong
(23-Rafael van der Vaart 99), 11-Arjen Robben; 9-Robin van
Persie.
Spain: 1-Iker Casillas; 15-Sergio Ramos, 3-Gerard Pique,
5-Carles Puyol, 11-Joan Capdevila; 14-Xabi Alonso (10-Cesc
Fabregas 87), 8-Xavi, 6-Andres Iniesta, 16-Sergio Busquets;
18-Pedro (22-Jesus Navas 60), 7-David Villa (9-Fernando Torres
106).
Referee: Howard Webb (England) - SABC NEWS |
