SA cricket team support Safa's 2006 bid (21 May 1999)

21 May 1999

SA cricket team support Safa's 2006 bid

Trevor Chesterfield

London - There is nothing like keeping it in the South Africa sporting family, although soccer have selfishly encroach on the summer season without batting an eye of embarrassment. But yesterday Hansie Cronje and other members of South Africa's World Cup team in England threw in their lot to support South African soccer's bid to host the 2006 World Cup jamboree.

While it may be all right for those running Safa to climb on the back of cricket's image to earn some credibility, Cronje offered his hand in sporting friendship at The Oval where he lead's South Africa today in their crucial third match of this year's World Cup (cricket) against England.

At a venue where the FA Cup finals were held in their infancy more than 100 years ago, Cronje said that his team "would like to declare our complete support for this initiative to bring one of the worlds' two largest sports events to Africa".

Asked why he felt South Africa should hold the 2006 event Cronje said South Africa had the infrastructure to host such a prestige event and after missing out on the 2004 Olympics being awarded the 2006 World Cup would be ideal.

"It is nothing less than an anomaly that as the millennium approaches Africa is still waiting to host an Olympics Game or soccer World Cup and we believe the time has come for this situation to be addressed.

"South Africa's 2006 bid is founded on 10 world class stadiums already in place, a first world infrastructure and a popular enthusiasm and energy which will present the world with a unique African sporting experience," Cronje said.

"There is no doubting our capacity. South Africa have already hosted the 1998 athletics World Cup and later this year will stage the all-Africa Games.

"We are also looking forward to hosting the Cricket World Cup in 2003.

"We have the infrastructure, we have the stadiums, we have the people we have the desire. In many ways South Africa 2006 represents an opportunity which international sport should find extremely difficult to resist," Cronje added.

Source :: Trevor Chesterfield