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South Africa abandons hopes for a re-vote

By Paul Martin Cainer in Zurich, editor-in-chief of Sport Africa and rediff.com's Southern Africa correspondent.

South Africa has abandoned attempts to get FIFA to cancel its award of the 2006 World Cup to Germany, and to have a re-vote. FIFA's executive on Thursday rejected South Africa's demand for an arbitration hearing on the alleged irregularities in the 12-11 vote early in July in favour of Germany.

The South African Football Asssociation vice-president, Irvin Khoza, told Sport Africa and rediff.com that 'in the interests of the brotherhood of football worldwide' South Africa would not be challenging FIFA's new refusal.

He also told Sport Africa and rediff.com the odds were "98 per cent certain" that South Africa will be awarded the hosting of the 2010 World Cup.

But FIFA President Sepp Blatter (of Switzerland) and African FIFA executive member Ismaill Bhamjee (of Botswana) both warned South Africa not to be overconfident. FIFA says it will rotate the hosting from continent to continent.

However while Africa is almost certain to be the first on the list (having never hosted a World Cup) there are many uncertainties in world football politics.

Asia is hosting the World Cup (jointly between Japan and South Korea) in 2002 -- the first time the event will have been staged in Asia.