by Ismaila Lere
Alarm bells have suddenly tolled on Nigeria's hopes of hosting the FIFA U-17 World Cup in October, following scathing remarks by the world body's inspection team during a press briefing in Lagos yesterday.
What was expected to be a routine announcement of six successful hosting sub-seats for the championship showed early signs of turning awry, when FIFA vice-president Jack Warner started his speech with a declaration that Nigeria is obviously not ready to host the championship.
Warner announced that Nigeria would get a respite of 30 days to four other venues - Kano, Calabar, Enugu and Ijebu Ode to get into spick-and-span conditions for the championship to go ahead in these venues. If no improvement is found after that, FIFA said an unnamed country, which is already on standby, will step in.
Nigeria, despite being the reigning champions, only qualified for the event by virtue of being the hosts.
"Frankly, from an objective point of view, Nigeria is not ready to host the tournament. But I am a man who has always believed in Nigeria and there have been some signs of hope and commitment. I will propose to the FIFA Executive Committee that we give Nigeria a one month grace period for six venues to build on the signs of hope and commitment we have seen on this trip and fulfil all the necessary requirements.
"When the grace period expires, FIFA will return to visit the venues and if each and every one of them does not reach the 100% readiness level that we expect, then FIFA will withdraw the tournament hosting rights from Nigeria and go to another country."
Although Warner served a palliative of sorts by stating that Abuja and Lagos look good and fit to play host to matches of the Cadet Mundial, he insisted this is a far cry from a required optimum, while noting that Egypt was ready for this year's FIFA U-20 World Cup about a year ago.
He said that under FIFA's requirements, Nigeria should have been ready to host the world a year ago.
"The facilities in the host country, as required by FIFA, ought to have been ready a year ahead of the championship.
"It was expected that these facilities should have been ready when we visited in January 2009, but only Abuja was ready," Warner said. The FIFA top shot said no other venue met their standard. In spite of government's assurance that the facilities would be ready by the end of April.
"The LOC asked FIFA for one month extension and that we should shift the inspection to May.
"Sadly enough, only two of the nine centres (Abuja and Lagos) inspected met the FIFA standards," he said.
Warner said it was a sad indictment of the Nigerian government that February, March, April and May had been wasted.
He declared: "The empty promises made by the government had let down not only FIFA but the football-loving people of Nigeria."
The FIFA inspection committee revealed that the alternative hosts, who are outside Africa, have already been on standby for the past nine months.
With regards to the stadiums in Bauchi and Kaduna, Warner expressed FIFA's gratitude: "We thank them for their efforts and have no doubt that once they do finally complete their venues, it will provide a wonderful legacy for the sporting infrastructure of their communities. However, everyone has always known that not all nine would be selected.
"Warri has fallen by the wayside because of the security situation in the Niger Delta Region. "My wife called me two days ago, warning that I should not go to Warri," he said.
The build-up to the tournament has been beset with delays and difficulties. Nigeria formally withdrew from holding the tournament at one stage after the government said hosting the event was not a priority.
They were persuaded to go back on the decision after the intervention of FIFA and CAF.
Source: Daily Trust
Also in the news
Nigeria: Disaster Averted As Team Aircraft Suffers Turbulence
by Francis Ugwoke
Enugu — The FIFA Inspection Team, led by Jack Warner, who were in Enugu yesterday for the inspection of that proposed Sub-seat, narrowly escaped what could have been an embarrassing national event as their aircraft was stuck in the air for nearly an hour as it got caught in bad weather and turbulence.
The unwholesome incidence took place on the flight back to Abuja after they were done with the Enugu inspection.
Sources say after the chartered aircraft they flew in ran into bad weather and turbulence three times in a row, leading to them spending more time in the air than the flight would naturally had taken, members of the team were beginning to feel agitated and apprehensive.
The craft, after having to hover in the Abuja airspace for nearly an hour with the weather still look inclement and the possibility of it clearing soon not looking good, the pilot was advised to fly down to Ilorin to land.
The team had to spend close to four hours in Ilorin before they could eventually leave for Abuja at around 8.30 in the night. They had departed the Akanu Ibiam Airport in Enugu at about 4.30 p.m. having been seen off at the airport by state and Sub-seat officials. This meant they had suffered a five-hour ordeal in the journey back to Abuja.
Source: This Day
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