Comments on: South Africa 2010 Off To Ominous Start http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/south-africa-2010-off-to-ominous-start.html League Football, Soccer News and Views from Around the World Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:57:06 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Romanista SA http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/south-africa-2010-off-to-ominous-start.html/comment-page-1#comment-81098 Romanista SA Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:14:06 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/south-africa-2010-off-to-ominous-start.html#comment-81098 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. 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.

]]> By: Martha http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/south-africa-2010-off-to-ominous-start.html/comment-page-1#comment-81043 Martha Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:57:25 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/south-africa-2010-off-to-ominous-start.html#comment-81043 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. 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.

]]> By: Lupo562 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/south-africa-2010-off-to-ominous-start.html/comment-page-1#comment-81038 Lupo562 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:45:12 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/south-africa-2010-off-to-ominous-start.html#comment-81038 Between this and Martha's post on Brazil, is Offside on a mission to alter the sites for the next two World Cups? Between this and Martha’s post on Brazil, is Offside on a mission to alter the sites for the next two World Cups?

]]> By: Jan http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/south-africa-2010-off-to-ominous-start.html/comment-page-1#comment-81037 Jan Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:38:46 +0000 http://www.theoffside.com/world-football/south-africa-2010-off-to-ominous-start.html#comment-81037 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. 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.

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