South Africa 2010 Off To Ominous Start

By: chris | November 26th, 2007

Sepp Blatter has shown a great amount of faith in stubbornly bringing his quad-annual traveling circus to the country with, according to the UN, the second highest per-capita murder rate, assault rate and highest rate of rape in the world. On Sunday and Monday the sports front pages will undoubtedly glow with news of impending qualifiers and the exciting rematches and rivalries to be initiated fighting for a trip to football’s greatest showcase. Then there will be this: Pieter Burgstaller, former goalkeeper for SV Salzburg in Austria, was murdered on a golf course near Durban on Sunday in an apparent robbery attempt, losing his life for the price of his cell phone.

It should be noted that he was there on separate business, but was to attend the draw with friend Franz Beckenbauer. Also being tied to the event as he is a former football player and the city of Durban, South Africa’s second largest, will be one of the focal points of the World Cup, hosting a “trial” of sorts this past weekend.

Blatter, of course, is running:

He cited the example of the Swiss financial capital, Zurich, generally considered one of the world’s safest cities, where a 16-year-old girl was shot on Friday night at a streetcar station.

Clearly the man has absolutely no clue whatsoever. Murders happen in every city, every week. It is the nature of the world. What isn’t the nature of the world is hosting a traveling bullseye in the world’s second most homicidal nation, one which averages a staggering 50 murders per day. Meaning during the course of a month long tournament, 1500 homicides will occur. I’d be willing to bet all the money in the offside piggy bank at least one of those will be WC related. Will Sepp reference murders in Zurich then?

In similar, but less tragic news, Oliver Bierhoff, Germany’s team manager and in town for the festivities, had his briefcase stolen. Bierhoff had this to say:

“It could happen anywhere. South Africa is trying very hard – I hope nothing else happens – but we won’t be able to move so freely as we are used to at World Cups.”

Unlikely this is the last incident.

In a tournament meant to promote a beautiful sport and the cultivation of international friendships, the overwhelming concern has become security and the safety and lives of the fans, players, coaches and organizers traveling to the tournament. A complete reversal of priorities. I don’t think I’m the only person who feels this was a terrible, terrible mistake.

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Category: Africa, Europe, World Football

Tags: Africa, Blatter, Europe, South Africa, World Football

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• Jan |  November 26th, 2007 at 9:38 am

  
  
  

  Security is one issue, though what worries me as well is the obscene amount of money that South Africa has to invest for the stadium infrastructure. And I just read that steel prices are on the rise, so that cost estimates for the World Cup are likely to rise as well.

  A big European country like Germany might have had a use for upgraded stadiums after the World Cup, but I wonder whether the South African sports market and league is big enough to justify spending 3 billion euros + x for this event?

  I don’t know whether FIFA are doing a country like SA more harm than good with this World Cup.

  Posted from Germany

  

• Lupo562 |  November 26th, 2007 at 9:45 am

  
  
  

  Between this and Martha’s post on Brazil, is Offside on a mission to alter the sites for the next two World Cups?

  Posted from United States

  

• Martha |  November 26th, 2007 at 9:57 am

  
  
  

  Lupo, we’re all just reporting stories on our own — we’re entirely agenda-less. Plus, I think if you re-read my post, you’ll see that I said the incident will cause further doubts in Europe, at least, about Brazil’s ability to handle the WC. Those doubts exist; I’m not going to ignore them, but just because I’m reporting them doesn’t mean they reflect my feelings.

  Posted from United States

  

• Romanista SA |  November 26th, 2007 at 1:14 pm

  
  
  

  My personal opinion, being South African and all, is that this country is not anywhere near European standards in terms of infrastructure, safety etc.

  Whether or not we are ready to host the WC depends on how you define ready.

  We have recently hosted the Rugby and Cricket World Cups, and both were huge successes, although granted it’s a drop in the ocean compared to the soccer WC.

  I have my doubts about the transportation situation (public transport is non existent in this country), and whether or not our stadia will be ready in time.

  I think those issues (logistics) are more pertinent than the crime issue.

  The point is that we can’t fix crime in 2 years.

  The crime here is atrocious, and the government will have to do something to educate foreigners about how to maximise their safety.

  That being said, I have to agree that if I wasn’t South African, I wouldn’t want to come here for the WC.

  While crime occurs in every country, and there will be measures in place to protect tourists, the point is that you are putting yourself at elevated risk.

  I’m not sure it’s worth it.

  Posted from United States

  

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