Shocker! FIFA threaten to withdraw Nigeria's U-17 World Cup hosting rights
•Lagos is lone venue standing •Nigeria not ready to host, •Calabar, Enugu, Ijebu-Ode, Kano given one-month extra time
By Duro Ikhazuagbe, 05.22.2009

Friday, May 22, 2009

Jack Warner, FIFA’s Vice-president, in a moment that left his audience in shock, yesterday named Abuja and Lagos as the two venues ready to host the Under 17 World Cup Finals that Nigeria is getting ready to host. That is to mean if we consider Abuja as a facility that had been ready even before the hosting issue came on board, because the stadium had never been anytime less than standard, then Lagos is the only one that had passed the hosting test among the remaining eight contesting venues.

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The FIFA chief who was at the head of the inspection team that examined Nigeria’s facilities insisted that apart from the two stadiums, the rest seven bidding cities are not fully ready to host the youth fiesta that is barely four months away, and that some are even far from being ready.

“Apart from Abuja and Lagos, the rest are in between 60 and 70 percent state of readiness. I must say that Nigeria is not ready to host. That is our candid view on your facilities,’ observed the Trinidad and Tobago football administrator.

Warner who recalled that going by FIFA standard that all venues and facilities to host any of their events has to be ready a year to the competition, was apprehensive of the prospects. It was more so for him because he realised the laggard state of the venues had happened despite the reassurance FIFA had got from Vice-president, Goodluck Jonathan that everything would be all right on time. “Now, Nigeria has failed to meet the may deadline,” he said. “Everyone in the past had met the one-year deadline. South Africa met it for the 2010 World Cup Finals; Egypt has also fulfilled that condition for the World Youth Championship; the Under-20 World Cup billed for later this year. It is shocking for us to learn that work started not early enough on the facilities, in some venues just days before our coming here for the final inspection.

They gave us flimsy excuses on why they were not ready. This is an indictment of Nigeria’s ability,” moaned the FIFA man. Still on the empty promises, Warner wondered what the states did with the whole of January to May. “After we came here in January, we had hoped to see some forms of seriousness. What did they do with January, February, March, April and this May? Even the LOC had to ask for one month extension when April date was no longer reasonable, yet these states failed.” As a firm believer in the capabilities of Nigerian people, the FIFA Vice-president however gave hope to Calabar, Enugu, Ijebu-Ode, and Kano as the other venues to host if they get their facilities ready within the next month.

“There is hope for these venues that are in near state of readiness. I am going to appeal to the FIFA executive committee that is going to take final decision on the 2009 Under-17 World Cup to allow Nigeria this one-month of grace. We are going to come back for the last time. If by then you still have not met the conditions, then we will to consider another country for the duty and definitely replace Nigeria with another African country as host.”

He then proceeded to give Kudos to Lagos for turning Teslim Balogun Stadium into a world-class facility.

“Never in my wildest dream have I, after visiting 166 countries in the course of inspection of facilities, seen what Lagos has done. If I had visited Lagos first, I would have been economical with the type of scores I gave the other venues,” he noted

Warner asked the commissioners of sports and the contractors of the other states outside Abuja and Lagos to come down to Teslim Balogun Stadium and ask how it was possible. “Governor Fashola has indeed made Lagosians the envy of the rest country. I am happy for him.”

On the case of Warri that FIFA snubbed for security reasons, Warner gave them hope if things improve by July. We were instructed by FIFA not to travel to Warri.

“But then even my wife called from Trinidad and Tobago and warned me not to go to Warri. The reports of the crisis was all over your local newspapers and so it is not fair for the officials to say there was no problem.”

However, in fairness to the Sub-seat, we will still project their case and state of readiness to FIFA, based on the presentation they made, when we get back to Zurich. So, probably, if the security situation improves as the days go by, the Sub-seat might be able to make a seventh venue. We will be monitoring the security situation closely from Zurich.

Mainassara Ilo, Chief executive of the “Nigeria 2009” secretariat admitted some of the inadequacies in the venues, stressing that if he had picked those ready, “I would have been crucified on newspaper pages as been partial.

He said that despite the low marks, his LOC has been able to give the nine states good sports facilities. “I promised at inceptions that I would give the country six venues and nine standard facilities. On this, we have delivered. The states picked will be ready because all the facilities have been procured and waiting to be installed fully.