“We are asking Europe to treat South Africa with respect and fairness the same way they would treat other countries,” Valcke said yesterday, Wednesday 27 January 2010, in Sandton, Johannesburg.
He said he was disappointed that ‘some people' were using their country's media to urge the world not to travel to SA because it is a dangerous place, and that FIFA made a mistake to host the 2010 World Cup here.
Reports also said that news have been spreading around Europe that there were not enough flights to SA, and that Soccer City - the venue for opening ceremony - will not be ready by June 2010.
“This is insane, unfair, bad and sad,” Valcke reacted angrily. “How can you treat SA like this?
“I have no fear because I am confident and optimistic that Soccer City will be ready in February and we will have a World Cup come June,” he said.
“We are ready to organise the big party and nothing will happen to us because we are putting all mechanisms in place to ensure that the tournament goes smoothly.”
South Africa is a country like any other country where many foreigners work, make money and live a normal life, he pointed out.
“Where can we organise the World Cup? In the moon? Why do you want to kill the World Cup before it even starts?” Valcke asked, still not naming the ‘suspects'.
“Give them a chance, give SA a chance. If something happens then I will say sorry guys, I was the one who supported SA to host the competition.
“I am wondering whether we should ask President Zuma to inform his colleagues - Gordon Brown and others - to tell their people that SA is a country like any peaceful country.”
Asked by a Swedish journalist what FIFA will do to counter the negative perceptions about SA, he replied: “We need your support and we count on you the media to tell the truth.”
Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan said: “The Germans and the British are the foreigners who own most of the properties in SA.
“They live and work here and they are happy. Go and ask them. What you read overseas has no basis in reality.
“First of all you said the stadiums will not be finished on time, but most of the stadiums are done. Later you said no one will buy tickets, but here we are we have sold two million tickets.
“All we can say now is that we are happy because the teams are coming and looking for training camps,” Jordaan said, adding that every World Cup has a benchmark.
Valcke said while they are having discussions on the issue of increasing flights, the matter is not FIFA's, but it is up to the market.
It is believed that flights from US and Europe to SA have been fully booked and have become extremely expensive, frustrating a lot of people in the ‘old continent'.
