10 - 16 May 2001
Issue No.533
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 10 - 16 May 2001 Issue No.533 |
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An armband for longevity
FIFA President Joseph Blatter paid a one-day visit to Egypt where he had a busy itinerary: he laid down the foundation stones for both the headquarters of the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) and a national training centre; he honoured veteran Egyptian striker Hossam Hassan, then sat down to watch Egypt beat Senegal in a World Cup qualifier.
Platini joins the party thrown for Hassan
photo: Hashem Abul-Amayem
Though it was Blatter's fourth visit to Egypt in his 26-year career, it was his first as FIFA president.
He arrived in Cairo on Sunday morning from Amman, where he inaugurated the Goal project, a programme to enhance football in Jordan. He was accompanied by Mohamed Bin Hammam, head of the project, and former French soccer star Michel Platini, in addition to other FIFA members.
He was received at Cairo Airport by Egyptian Football Association (EFA) President Youssef El-Dahshouri Harb and Sahar El-Hawari, a member of FIFA's women's football committee. He headed straight for the industrial city of 6 October where he laid the foundation stone for the new CAF headquarters scheduled to be completed in two years. CAF's present headquarters is in Gezira, close to the EFA. Harb joked with CAF President Eissa Hayatou, saying with a straight face that the EFA couldn't bear the thought of parting with the CAF after being neighbours for more than 40 years. "That's why we chose to build the national training centre in the same area in order to remain neighbours."
Blatter and his delegation then laid the cornerstone for the new training centre for Egypt's national teams. It will include pitches, hotels, conference rooms, gyms and health and medical centres. It will serve all national teams, thus saving money spent on training abroad. It will also serve foreign teams that visit Egypt.
In the afternoon, Blatter held a press conference in which most of the questions pertained to the 2010 World Cup which Egypt will probably bid for. "In order to organise a World Cup, you should first qualify," he said.
Blatter told the Weekly that the decision for Africa to host the 2010 World Cup was final. "It was a proposal I suggested and supported. Now it's final. The rotation system [for the World Cup] will start in Africa in 2010 for sure but we can't say when it will be Africa's turn to host it again. It depends." Germany will host the 2006 World Cup.
At the press conference, Blatter honoured El-Hawari for winning an International Olympics Committee world award for her role in advancing women's sports.
Blatter said he was glad to be in Egypt, adding he wished to come here for the holidays.
In the evening, the FIFA supremo was in Cairo Stadium along with 80,000 spectators to see Egypt beat Senegal 1-0. Before the kick-off, he paid tribute to team captain Hassan for being the world's most internationally capped player. Blatter presented Hassan with a FIFA armband and a diploma. Even though he missed the game because of a thigh injury, Hassan insisted on wearing the Egyptian team's uniform and entered the field with his teammates.
"He is a great player," Blatter said. "I admire him so much. He will wear this armband so long as he continues playing for the national team. When someone breaks the record, the armband will be taken from Hassan and the new world record holder will wear it instead. But the diploma will not be taken away. It will be Hassan's forever, indicating that he was once the world's most capped player," Blatter told the Weekly.
In January this year, Hassan broke the world record of 150 caps set by Germany's Luthar Matthaus. The Egyptian striker has now played 157 for his country but hot on his heels is Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Mohamed Al-Da'iya who is swiftly closing in on 150.
"I'm glad and proud," Hassan said. "It's wonderful to be the world's most capped player and to wear this armband. I'm proud because it is also something good for Egypt. I wish I could continue playing and remain the world record holder for as long as possible," Hassan added after cutting a cake at half-time at a celebration attended by Youth Minister Alieddin Hilal, FIFA, EFA and CAF officials. On top of the cake was a full-length picture of Hassan in football gear.
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