FIFA hands Nigeria fresh ultimatum

03.06.2009
Utaka

WORLD football-governing body, FIFA, has set Nigeria a deadline of June 11 to commit to hosting the Under-17 World Cup or face forfeiting the tournament.

The country is due to host the 24-team event from October 24 to 15 November 15.

But the world body is unhappy that several cities have yet to prove their suitability to stage matches.

Penultimate week, FIFA vice-president, Jack Warner led an inspection team to the country to evaluate preparations for the cadet World Cup and was distinctly unimpressed with what he saw.

Warner said only Abuja and Lagos were close to being ready and said he would recommend a one-month grace period for venues to show signs of improvement.

But FIFA’s Executive Committee, meeting in the Bahamas capital, Nassau, has now warned that unless there are “binding government guarantees”, the tournament will be moved somewhere else.

A high-ranking FIFA delegation will travel to Lagos to get the required guarantees from Vice-President, Jonathan Goodluck, who is directly overseeing the Local Organising Committee (LOC).

Aside from Warner, chairman of the Organising Committee for the U-17 World Cup, the delegation will also include Issa Hayatou, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

FIFA Executive Committee member, Dr Amos Adamu and the body’s secretary general, Jerome Valcke will also meet with Dr Goodluck on June 11 to request binding government guarantees that Nigeria will fulfil all requirements for hosting the championship.

“If these guarantees are given, the six venues will be Abuja, Calabar, Enugu, Ijebu-Ode, Kano and Lagos,” a FIFA press statement said.

Should the guarantees not be issued, the tournament would be withdrawn from Nigeria and an alternative host nation found.