SA wants to discuss bid debacle with Fifa

SA wants to discuss bid debacle with Fifa
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

JULY 23: The South African Football Association said on Sunday that it wants to meet world governing body Fifa within a few days and discuss the controversial awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany.

A 12-11 victory for Germany over South Africa on July 6 was overshadowed by the abstention of Oceania delegate Charles Dempsey from the final round of voting at Fifa house in the Swiss city of Zurich.

Had Dempsey followed the mandate of his region and backed South Africa once England had been eliminated, a 12-12 tie would have left the casting vote with Fifa president and strong South Africa supporter Sepp Blatter.

Dempsey from New Zealand cited ``intolerable pressure'' for his decision and has since quit as president of the Oceania Football Confederation and as a member of the decision-making Fifa executive committee.

South African World Cup bid chairman Irvin Khoza told reporters visits by him and other officials to Belgium and Australia had created the impression there were options worth following.

``I cannot reveal these options, but will discuss them with South African officials on Monday before flying to Zurich for talks with Fifa the next day,'' he said.

Khoza refused to say whether South Africa would seek a new round of voting, a possibility ruled out by Blatter last week in an interview with an American television channel.

``Fifa is a family and if I promise one of my sons a bicycle and cannot give it to him, he must wait until I can give it to him. Otherwise, I may give it to one of my daughters,'' the president said.

Khoza and bid Chief executive Danny Jordaan were in Belgium last week for talks with Jean-Louis Dupont, the lawyer who successfully sued European governing body Uefa on behalf of Belgian footballer Jean-Marc Bosman.

This led to the Bosman ruling, which makes a player a free agent once his contract with a club expires. Previously, clubs could demand a transfer fee and retain a footaller indefinitely against his wishes.

``I feel encouraged after our discussions with Dupont and we certainly have the basis for taking the issue forward. There are three options and I feel we can pursue any of them,'' Khoza said.

Jordaan also travelled to Australia for talks with senior Oceania official Sakhu khan from Fiji and said he was gathering information ahead of a possible legal challenge to the World Cup decision.

``It is not sour grapes. We are ensuring we do not let the matter rest until we have done our best to discover what really happened,'' Jordaan told reporters.

Germany received the eight European and four Asian votes in the final round while South Africa got four from Africa, three each from South America and North-Central America, plus Blatter.