Hosting of major competitions is slowly becoming a normal phenomenon for South Africa in recent times.
Lately, SA have gone ahead to loose the rugby 2023 hosting rights to France, and in their ‘Oliver Twist’ like nature, pounced on the 2019 AFCON hosting rights when it was declared vacant in early December 2018.
South Africa have been in the thick things ; hosting the world back in 2010, and acting as landlords to the rest of Africa in 2013.
It was never going to be a pushover for SA this time as the other contender (Egypt) is not only well grounded with medals in the African continent, but also had the support of the rest of North Africa; SA gave their support to the United States, Mexico and Canada in the world cup hosting rights of 2026, thus the North Americans formed a block against SA. That explains the large margin of 16 to 1 Egypt won by.
The acting CEO of SAFA (Paul Russell), had this to say ; “I do not believe Egypt’s bid to host the AFCON was better than South Africa’s”.
SAFA was being hopeful to host the continental jamboree giving the reports received on their loss of R 18 million in the last financial year, and the nation was to be around the environs of R 125 million to get a pitch of an organization.
Paul came out with a statement disclosing : “we we’re disappointed, but we’re saying life goes on.”
The south African football team are in a great qualifying position behind the Super Eagles, so it just looks like the federation wanted to make history; being the country to host the grandiose ceremony.
Giovanni Wanneh
