Mbalula keeps SA 2020 Olympic bid alive

14 June 2011 - 19:40 By Gerald Imray, Sapa-AP
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South Africa’s sports department hasn’t given up on hosting the 2020 Olympics despite a government decision last month that it was not the right time to bid.

Minister of Sport and Recreation Fikile Mbalula during the Launch of the I Play Fair campaign at Park Hyatt Hotel on June 14, 2011 in Johannesburg
Minister of Sport and Recreation Fikile Mbalula during the Launch of the I Play Fair campaign at Park Hyatt Hotel on June 14, 2011 in Johannesburg
Image: Duif du Toit

Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said on Tuesday it was unfortunate that he was in hospital when South Africa’s cabinet advised against a bid, causing South Africa’s Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee to abandon plans to bid to bring the games to  Africa for the first time in 2020.

   But, Mbalula told representatives from South Africa’s tourism industry on Tuesday that the bidding process for 2020 was still “quite open” and his ministry hoped to change the government’s mind  before the International Olympic Committee’s Sept. 1 deadline for cities to announce their candidacy.

   “All that I’m trying to indicate is that it is not all lost,” Mbalula said. “What is important is that if we are able to persuade  cabinet to think otherwise, that will be a decision that cabinet will equally announce.

   “The process is open up until September. If there is a process that we make up our mind, that we are firm, we are on the road, we are bidding, that decision will be made known.

   “But we are not giving up (on the 2020 bid) as a ministry or as a department.”    The 2010 World Cup host was considered an early favorite for the  2020 Summer Games, with the east coast city of Durban — which stages next month’s 123rd IOC session — expected to win approval to  bid.

   South Africa’s commercial hub, Johannesburg, and another coastal  city, Port Elizabeth, were also reportedly considering bids.

   But in May the government surprised by opting against a 2020 bid  to focus on pressing social issues, forcing the national Olympic committee to scrap plans.

   Mbalula said as a member of the government he respected and was bound by the cabinet decision, but added South Africa was in an ideal position to bid for the Olympics after last year’s widely praised first football World Cup on the continent.

   “South Africa ... might never enjoy the same position in 20 years to come, to host such events,” he said. “I think we have to do everything in our power, if there’s an opportunity or an avenue to host a mega event, let’s do that.”    South Africa failed in a previous bid for the 2004 Olympics, when Cape Town came third behind eventual winner Athens and Rome.

   Despite the success of the World Cup — and the ideal opportunity  to again impress sports leaders at the IOC session — South Africa’s  bid has had internal problems.

   Durban was announced as the South African Olympic committee’s preferred candidate last year, only for other cities to complain they weren’t properly included in the process.

   So far, only Rome has formally announced it will make a 2020 bid.

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