Football
20y

Soccer-Morocco argues its time has come to host World Cup finals

By Gilles Trequesser

RABAT, May 6 - Morocco argues that its bid to host
the 2010 World Cup finals is bound to succeed for one simple
reason: it is legitimate.

But its case was not helped by a relatively unfavourable
report from the FIFA inspection team, published on Wednesday.

While the inspectors praised Morocco's presentation, the
support of the government and the proposed budget, they were
unhappy that three stadiums presented to them in February 2000
as being under construction "have not been realised at all".

The inspectors credited Morocco with the potential to
organise only a "very good" World Cup. Their main rivals South
Africa received an "excellent" rating.

Still, that will not deter the Moroccans too much in the
build-up to the decision on May 15, as the country, bidding for
the fourth time to organise the World Cup, thinks it is
rightfully entitled to win this time around.

"Our dossier is strong and we believe we have legitimacy
with us," communications minister Nabil Benabdallah told
Reuters.

"If Africa got the honour to stage this World Cup it's
thanks to Morocco, the first country to present a bid for the
continent, so Morocco deserves to host the 2010 tournament,"
said Benabdallah, who is also the government's spokesman.

World soccer governing body FIFA will announce the winner in
Zurich after a vote by the 24 members of its executive
committee. Morocco and South Africa are seen as neck-and-neck
key contenders well ahead of Egypt, Libya and Tunisia.

While its candidacy appeared doomed last year for lack of a
marketing campaign, Morocco now believes it can clinch the vote.

World Cup fever has gripped the North African kingdom.
"Morocco 2010, why it is possible", clamoured leading weekly
newspaper Le Journal Hebdomadaire at the weekend.

EUROPEAN SUPPORT

The media even speculated that an expected government
reshuffle would now occur after May 15 because a win in Zurich
would have direct bearing on major public investments,
especially road infrastructure and rail links.

If Morocco was to host the event, it would provide a huge
fillip to tourism and investment. The country of 30 million
people has said it would invest up to 2.15 billion euros on
infrastructure.

Morocco's bid enjoys the support of its two main trading
partners, Spain, on the other side of the narrow Strait of
Gibraltar, and former colonial power and close friend France.

"Our stadiums will be full in 2010, unlike in South Africa,
because of our proximity to Europe", said the North African
nation's bid chief, Saad Kettani.

Such statements have fuelled the conspiracy theory that
Morocco's candidacy is one of Europe in disguise.

Morocco is said to have emphasised to Europeans -- who have
nine of the 24 FIFA votes -- that Morocco would be a sort of
extension of Europe: same time zone, two or three hours' flying
time away and, from southern Spain, just a ferry ride to
Tangiers.

SYMPATHY VOTE?

But the security factor may also handicap Morocco, a close
political ally of the West long seen as a haven of tranquillity
until Islamic suicide bombings shattered that image.

Attacks in Casablanca a year ago killed 45 people, including
the 12 suicide bombers. Another factor that could undermine the
bid is the Moroccans arrested in Spain in connection with the
March 11 Madrid train bombings.

Government and bid committee officials counter that a World
Cup in Morocco would bring great support for a Muslim country
with a tolerant Islamic attitude.

"It would allow the world to see that Muslims and Christians
can enjoy a show together," Kettani said.

Alan Rothenberg, a top consultant with the Moroccan bid
committee, has tried to dispel "misperceptions" about security.

"To win a World Cup bid it's only lobbying. To have a nice
story to tell is not enough, what matters is how you tell it,"
Rothenberg, who organised the 1994 World Cup in the United
States, told Le Journal in an interview published on Sunday.

Recalling that South Africa lost out by just one vote to
Germany four years ago, Rothenberg said in another interview:
"Some people think there's going to be a sympathy vote for South
Africa because they came so close for 2006, but Morocco has bid
three other times and missed out in 1994 to the U.S. by one
vote. So if it's a sympathy vote, it should go to Morocco".

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