Half - time: All in the bid
The Special Olympics for athletes with special needs has launched a new campaign. Inas Mazhar sees what the activity entails
The Egyptian Football Association has finally been given the green light from the government to go ahead with its bid to host the 2010 World Cup. Youth Minister Aliyeddin Hilal announced that the government had approved the bid for hosting one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world, second perhaps only to the Olympics.
"We know it won't be an easy task but we are up to the challenge," Hilal told reporters last week. "We are thrilled to bid for the World Cup. It's a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity and a great responsibility."
Hilal said Egypt would not be financially burdened by the bid but did not say how much the government was willing to invest.
Saturday's deadline was the second for bidding countries and follows the 31 December deadline for initial interest. Bidding countries have until the end of September to complete their bid documents and submit them to FIFA which will then examine the documents and arrange for inspections between 1 October and 31 January 2004.
The final decision will be made by the FIFA executive committee in Paris next May.
Since FIFA President Joseph Blatter announced that the 2010 World Cup would be staged in Africa, Libya, Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia have all placed bids. The Egyptian file is being prepared by a French event- organising company which is to receive 500,000 euros (LE3.5 million) from the Ministry of Youth. (France is giving Egypt 300,000 euros to host the 2006 African Nations Cup, seen as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup).
In order to make the French company's task easier, the minister turned the swimming pool complex at Cairo Stadium into its temporary headquarters.
The file should include documentary video tapes about Egypt's sports facilities as well as venues, transportation, hospitals and accommodation. It would also comprise brochures, pamphlets, newsletters, CDs, souvenirs and the tournament's logo and slogan. Officials from the EFA as well as well-known figures in sports and media are being asked to help publicise the bid.
Egypt's main challenge will come from South Africa, the favourite to win. There is also Morocco which bid to host the 1994, 1998 and 2006 events; the lack of adequate infrastructure hampered its attempts. And Libya's bid is being championed by Saadi Qaddafi, son of the Libyan leader who has said he plans to divert much of Libya's foreign aid programme into building infrastructure for the World Cup.
Such challenges mean that while we appreciate the efforts being made we expect more, not just from the EFA or the ministry but from everybody if we are to succeed in hosting the event. Everyone should get involved because, as in football, success needs a team effort.
