World Cup South Africa Beyond 2010! Legacy or Wasted Investment?

The social and economic benefits created by hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup will continue to benefit South Africa long after the end of the games.

"I think as South Africans, It's important to remember that we are like a teenager in the world of nations, and for us this has been a proud moment. From the economic point of view all the investment was money well spent, being investment for the future. The Finance Minister said the tournament's benefits included not only its economic legacy; the event would also help the country increase its delivery capacity while demonstrating to the world its ability to host major events.

 

Extra R38-billion in GDP

 

Gordhan said current projections were that the tournament will add 0.4 percent to South Africa's real gross domestic product (GDP). "What this actually means is that about R38-billion will be added to the GDP as a result of the World Cup."

He said while some benefits from hosting the event were not clear-cut for now, South Africa had prospects of fast growth as a result of the infrastructure that had been built for the World Cup.

South Africa's government spent more than R33-billion over a period of four years on infrastructure and preparation for the World Cup, Gordhan said. Close to R12-billion was spent on stadium infrastructure, R11-billion on transport infrastructure, and R1.5-billion on event broadcast and telecommunications.

"This infrastructure we have built is not short-term infrastructure that you build today and destroy tomorrow. We have increased the productivity of the people of South Africa, and all of that is part of our development and long-term planning for our country. "

An estimated 130 000 jobs, most of them leading up to the World Cup, were created in the construction, roads and transport and hospitality industry.

 

A reputation transformed

 

"I know there are questions that are being asked, but I'm sure you will all realise long after the World Cup the social and economic benefits that this tournament has been able to provide for our country.

"Today, we have earned the reputation of a country that can actually deliver, and that is good for future growth," Gordhan said, adding that the event had helped to bring an end to the Afro-pessimism that had dominated foreign media for years.

While some businesses, especially those in the hospitality industry, would struggle to sustain the high profits generated by the World Cup, at least one economist believes the future benefits for South African business will be enormous.

"Yes, it's true that business will hate to see the World Cup go – especially the hospitality industry, where production is expected to drop again," economist Iraj Abedian said at the briefing. "But I believe with a little creativity and coordination we can actually turn this into future opportunities.

"For instance, the success of this event will ensure that most of the people who have visited our country will surely come back, so the infrastructure we have spent on hotels is not a waste at all," Abedian said.

"History has taught us that hosting events of this magnitude can boost the country's credibility," he added.

 

Trust, confidence

 

Initial research shows that restaurants, hotels, informal traders and shopping malls have been experiencing better than usual business over the World Cup period as fans flock to the country for the tournament, while overall business activity has picked up since the arrival of the first team and fans in the country a few weeks ago.

Abedian said that when South Africa was first awarded the right to host the event, with all the accompanying deadlines, business was "worried" about the country's ability to meet all of the deadlines.

"We were worried about what [it would mean for the country] if we didn't meet all of them ... but now we are all smiling. All the Afro-pessimism we are accustomed to is now being replaced by a high level of trust and confidence, which is good for attracting foreign investors and visitors to our country.” he said.

Fifa, meanwhile, has made revenue of US$3.2-billion from hosting the tournament in South Africa, Fifa spokesperson Nicola Maingot said at the press conference, pointing out that World Cup revenue accounted for more than 90 percent of the governing body's budget for a period of four years.

"So what this means is that the money has to sustain Fifa's development programmes for the next four years," Maingot said.

Source: BuaNews

Who wins FIFA World Cup 2010? watch the semi- finals online

(WFI) UEFA president Michel Platini says the progression of three European teams to the World Cup semi-finals is "a triumph for technical education programmes, sound management and good governance".

Germany, the Netherlands and Spain are bidding to become the first European side to be crowned world champions on a different continent.

The three nations have won the most youth competitions on the continent in the past decade. Germany triumphed in the 2009 European U-21 Championship and the Netherlands won the 2007 U21 title. Spain have won UEFA's Maurice Burlaz Trophy four times in succession. The accolade is awarded to the national association with the best results in UEFA's youth competitions. 

"Ultimately, nothing could be more pleasing than this state of affairs," Platini said in a letter from South Africa published on UEFA.com.

"Three teams with youth and freshness at their heart, deploying playing systems that leave considerable room for creativity. 

"This not only makes me happy – three great football nations can also derive pleasure. It represents a victory for the beautiful game, with the accent placed on attacking football. Above all, it is just reward for the long-term efforts of three associations who have invested in education and training. 

"A model policy which could, for the first time in football history, enable a European team to win a World Cup staged outside our continent."

Platini also praised South Africa for rising to the challenge of delivering the FIFA's flagship tournament. "The first FIFA World Cup staged on the African continent has been a resounding success," he said.

"As the matches and events passed by, the organisation got into its stride, the wheels quickly clicked into gear, and the extraordinary kindness, and innate sense of hospitality and pride of an entire people, have done the rest."

Netherlands' great expectations
The Netherlands are overwhelming favourites to beat Uruguay to reach the World Cup final for the first time since 1978 when they succumbed to Argentina. 

The South American team, two-time World Cup winners, have not reached the last four since 1970.

But the absence of striker Luis Suarez, suspended after his blatant goal-line handball denied Ghana victory in the previous round, puts the pressure on in-form Diego Forlan to make and score goals.

The clash at Cape Town's Green Point Stadium is only the second World Cup meeting between the sides. In the 1974 tournament, the Netherlands led by the great Johan Cruyff won 2-0.

The Netherlands are enjoying a great winning streak with nine wins in nine matches since the start of 2010, extending their unbeaten run to 24 games. Uruguay are unbeaten in nine.

Last night, Netherlands coach Bert Van Marwijk defended his team for not playing the kind of "beautiful" football the country became renowned for in the 1970s. Dutch legend Cruyff was the icon of 'Total Football', the fast, flowing attacking style of play.

Van Marwijk said he was not aware of any criticism of the team's tactics reportedly made by Cruyff, saying he had heard more encouraging words from him.

"We are going to continue on the path that we embarked on and we're not going to be distracted by anybody," he told reporters at Monday's press conference.

There were more questions about the Netherlands' less than silky style for Dutch captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who said winning was more important than the manner of the victory.

"We try to play beautiful football but sometimes we are unable to. If we win with beautiful football that would be great but we would be happier with the victory."

Dutch newspapers report that 400 Oranje fans forked out some €2,000 for last-minute trips to Cape Town to watch the match.

The Uruguay v Netherlands semi-final will be officiated by the youngest referee at the World Cup. The 32-year-old Ravshan Irmatov of Uzbekistan, a two-time Asian Football Confederation Referee of the Year, has so far reffed four matches at the tournament including the June 11 opening match between South Africa and Mexico.

Van Marwijk on losing his temper
The Netherlands coach has been a model of coolness on the sidelines during his team's World Cup matches. Some journalists at the press conference last night were intrigued to find out if he ever loses his rag. It turns out he does.

Admitting he is not always as relaxed as he looks, he said: "Once I kicked an advertising board so I do have these emotions, I do feel that. I can become upset and annoyed in the changing room but I can also be calm, cool an collected as I am right now."

Dutch keeper teases Suarez
Maarten Stekelenburg, the Netherlands goalkeeper, reveals that he sent a text message to Ajax team-mate Luis Suarez "saying that he has been the best goalkeeper of the tournament".

The Uruguay striker is suspended from today's game after he put two hands on the ball to prevent a certain Ghana goal in the quarter-final, which forced a penalty shootout that the South Americans won.

Fair play award
Spain are in line to pick up the FIFA Fair Play Award. They currently top the table, with the Netherlands fifth and the other semi-finalists, Germany and Uruuguay seventh and eleventh respectively.

World Cup is shop window for Bundesliga
Germany manager Joachim Low claims his team's strong performances at the World Cup owe a lot to improving standards in the Bundesliga.

Of the semi-finalists, 28 footballers play in the Bundesliga - 22 German players and six of the Dutch squad.

"The big clubs in Europe will look at our players," Low was quoted by AFP.

"German teams have worked hard on systems, they've paid more attention to intelligent

play, we've got better. The success of our teams gives us more respect in Europe, like Bayern [Munich] last season in the Champions League [where they reached the final]."

Germany play European champions Spain in the other semi-final in Durban tomorrow night.

Huge crowds welcome Ghana team, watch the games online
Thousands of Ghanaian fans on Tuesday gave a heroes' reception to the Black Stars returning from the World Cup.

Ghana reached the quarter-finals for the first time in only their second World Cup but they were knocked out by Uruguay in a penalty shoot-out last Friday.

Cheering fans gathered at the airport in capital Accra, waving flags and playing vuvuzelas and drums to welcome the team.

"Every member of the team was committed to doing something for the nation and we did our best with the support of every fan and the entire Africa," said Ghana player Stephen Appiah. "We proud of our performance but we want to go to Brazil 2014 and do well there."

The team will go on an open-top bus parade through the streets of Accra before being welcomed by the country's president John Evans Atta Mills at his official residency. 

Before leaving South Africa on Monday, the Ghana players were cheered by South Africans on a bus parade through the streets of Soweto, Johannesburg.

Ghana defender John Paintsil was among the players who addressed the huge crowds that turned out. “We’re so happy to be here with you. All we want to say is a big thank you for your love," he said.

Bin Hammam praise for Asian teams
Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam has hailed the performance of Asian teams at the World Cup, saying it proves the continent is taking major strides in the development of the game.

Japan and South Korea reached the last 16, while Australia just missed out on goal difference. North Korea struggled in a tough Group G which included Brazil and Portugal and went home without any points.

“The Asian participation was creditable in all respects and it confirmed that not only teams but our referees and coaches are also among the best in the world," Bin Hammam said in an interview with AFP’s Arabic service.

Blatter watch
France Football’s Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year accolade are being combined into a single award starting next year. FIFA president Sepp Blatter signed an agreement with Amaury Group president Marie-Odile Amaury in Johannesburg on Monday.

“We have accomplished an idea that has been discussed at FIFA for a number of years now. We’re going to combine our talents and experience to create a single reward for the world’s best player. It will be known as the FIFA Ballon d’Or," Blatter told a press conference on Monday.

The Ballon d’Or came into existence in 1956 when legendary English winner Stanley Matthews pipped Alfredo Di Stefano and Raymond Kopa to the prize. Until 1994 it was presented to the best player from a European nation playing club football in a European league. In 2007, it was opened up to footballers playing for any club in the world.

The FIFA Player of the Year award, won in 2009 by Argentina star Lionel Messi, was created in 1991. German midfielder Lothar Matthaus was the first to collect the accolade.

Votes for the FIFA Ballon d’Or award will now come from the coaches and captains of international teams – as was previously the case for the FIFA Player of the Year – and also from journalists, who used to nominate France Football's Ballon d’Or winner. The 2010 FIFA Ballon d’Or award ceremony will be a televised event held in Zurich, Switzerland on Jan. 10.

World Cup in numbers
1,020,321 - the number of visitors South Africa's government says entered the country from June 1 to July 1, up from 819,495 on the same period in 2009. World Cup organising committee spokesman Rich Mkhondo says: "While these numbers are simply arrivals, we are excited about the fact we have exceeded  the numbers we thought we would reach which was 450,000."