Carl Lewis says "YES" to Egypt 2010

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WORLD-FAMOUS athlete Carl Lewis -- described by the world as "the greatest athlete of all time", and "the legendary athlete of the last century", chatted with Abeer Anwar during his Egypt visit last week. The legendary jumper and sprinter -- an avid soccer fan and player himself -- spent his visit on the track with Egypt's Special Olympics athletes, and joining the people of the nation in calling for the World Cup bid.

The sprinter declared his belief in the Egypt bid, and emphasised the need for the historic sporting event to move to new turf.

"Absolutely Egypt could host the 2010 World Cup," he told Al-Ahram Weekly. "And it will be a wonderful host."

Lewis spoke of the multifaceted importance of bringing the cup to Egypt, emphasising the national ardour for the game and what it would mean to the children of the nation. Lewis said the opportunity to watch such world-class play would serve as an inspiration to youngsters, and urged FIFA organisers to consider this during the making of their decision.

"People in Europe or America have to learn about other civilisations and the World Cup is an excellent chance for this," he added. "I love the Egyptian culture and I am a very lucky man to be part of this. When I went down 135 steps inside the Pyramids, I was alone inside. At that moment I was enraptured in the feeling of how wonderful it felt to be in this place."

The opportunity to visit this country in which civilisation is rooted and culture is rich, Lewis said, is one of a lifetime and not to be missed by the world.