Egypt rendez-vous
The FIFA inspection committee which arrived Friday continues its seven-day inspection visit to Egypt. Inas Mazhar reports
As the week draws to a close, the FIFA inspection committee wraps up its visit in the ancient city of Luxor. This morning, the FIFA delegates begin their day by visiting the football pitches of the city where the teams are expected to train. The inspection also includes visiting Luxor International Hospital as well as historical sites in the West Bank and Ancient Egyptian Temples.
After lunch, the committee will fly back to Cairo where they will spend some "free time" -- of the little they have had in the action packed tour -- after which they will hold a one-hour closed FIFA meeting.
The night will bring yet another taste of the Egyptian social scene -- this time with a grandiose affair: the closing party. Among a gathering of pop singers, folkloric dancers, fans and dignitaries galore, the FIFA committee will bring near-closure to the seven- day inspection trip aimed to determine the destiny of Egypt for the year 2010.
Tomorrow morning, however, will include a quick last few stops. Prior to taking their flight back to Zurich, the FIFA members will conclude their inspection by visiting the International Medical and Rehabilitation Centre on the Cairo--Ismailia road as well as the Military Academy Stadium.
The routine one-hour daily FIFA meeting will be held at noon, followed by the only meeting with the media (the week's events have thus far remained unreported to the press). The press conference, which will take place at two o'clock tomorrow, will include a briefing on the delegation's visit -- a routine procedure.
The five-man delegation, headed by Jan Peeters of Belgium -- current president of the Belgian Football Association, comprised of: Finland's Perrti Alaja, Jacques Bouillon of France, Michel Sablon of Belgium and Harold Mayne-Nicholls of Chile.
While the arrival of the team in Egypt last Friday was marked by unsightly sandstorms and bellowing winds, the raucous airport welcome with folkloric music, dancing, and a gathering of die-hard football fans was enough to overshadow the overcast skies.
On the eve of their arrival, they enjoyed the splendour of the Pyramids, watching the a Sound and Light Show in the company of the Giza governor.
The following day they were escorted to the Egyptian Football Federation headquarters, where they met with Fathi Sorour, speaker of the Egyptian People's Assembly. The delegates then headed to the Sixth of October City, where they visited the headquarters of the African Football Confederation (CAF,) Dar Al-Fouad Hospital, the Middle East's most high-tech International Broadcasting Centre and Satellite Centre at the Media City, and the new Mubarak Stadium -- venue of the opening ceremony. The Pyramids and the Sphinx were the last of the day's visit.
The afternoon brought even more action, with a visit to the Arsenal football school at Wadi Degla Club. In the evening, the committee members were received by Prime Minister Atef Ebeid.
On Sunday, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak received the FIFA delegation at the headquarters of the Presidency in Heliopolis, where he is reported to have assured them of the nation's will and determination to host the 2010 World Cup. The president confirmed the government's full support to the bid committee -- a critical element of the bid-file criteria.
The visitors followed their dignitary visit with a tour of the Cairo International Conference Centre, the Cairo International Stadium, the Olympic Committee, the Cairo Sports Medical Centre, the Arab Contractors Stadium and Hospital. In the afternoon, they travelled to the historic Mediterranean city of Alexandria.
On Monday, there was a visit to the Arab Maritime Academy, Mustafa Kamel Hospital, Alexandria Sporting Club, the world renown Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Alexandria Stadium, Borg Al-Arab Stadium and Borg Al-Arab Hospital.
The FIFA delegates then flew to Port Said, where they attended a friendly match at the Masri Club between the Egyptian All-Star team and the New Shattle team of Switzerland. A visit to the Al-Soliman Hospital followed.
The following day the five-man delegation and their exclusive accompanying entourage visited the New Port Said Stadium site before heading to Ismailia for inspection of the New Ismailia Stadium site, the Ismailia Hospital, the Suez Canal Stadium and the Olympic Village. From Ismailia, they flew to Suez by helicopter to check the Suez Stadium and Hospital, and the site of the planned New Suez Stadium. From there, there was still more: that night the delegates continued through the night, flying directly to Sharm El-Sheikh.
On Wednesday morning, the FIFA inspection committee visited El- Salam Concorde Hotel, training pitches, Movenpick Conference Centre and Sharm El-Sheikh Hospital. From there -- in a strategic transport- experimentation plan -- they took the ferry to the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, where they started by heading to the Hurghada Hospital, the site of Hurghada's planned international stadium, and El-Gouna Hospital, before flying to Luxor, where they were entertained at the Karnak Temple by the temple's unique Sound and Light Show.
