South Africa's sports bonanza
17 April 2009
The feast of sporting events taking place in South Africa over the next few months will showcase the country as a venue of choice for hosting international sporting events, says government spokesperson Themba Maseko.
Speaking to journalists in Pretoria on Thursday, Maseko said the upcoming "sport bonanza" would also enable South Africa to build momentum ahead of the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 World Cup.
This weekend sees the kick-off of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which will be followed by the British Lions Rugby tour and, later in the year, the International Cricket Council's Champions Trophy.
The last time the Lions toured South Africa was in 1997, when they scored a famous two-one series victory. For many of today's Springboks, a win over the Lions this time around would be second only in prestige to winning the Rugby World Cup.
The IPL
Like the IPL, the Champions Trophy was not originally scheduled for South Africa, but the country was selected by the ICC to host the event after a terrorist attack in Pakistan led to the tournament being moved from there. Sri Lanka was chosen as the new venue, but when doubts were expressed about the weather conditions in the island nation at the time of the year when the Champions Trophy takes place, it was agreed to move it to South Africa.
The IPL, which is the most lucrative cricket tournament in the world, was moved to South Africa after the Indian government was unable to assure security in that country.
The tournament will take place in six cities across the country from 18 April to 24 May.
IPL organisers have said South Africa's success in the staging of the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 was a major contributing factor to the decision to stage the event in the country.
Rugby World Cup bid
Maseko said the Cabinet had also endorsed the South African Rugby Union's bid to host either the 2015 or 2019 Rugby World Cup.
He said with the Confederations Cup taking place soon after the IPL in June, the South African public is in for a "real bonanza ... "We are in for a fantastic IPL and Confeds Cup, not to mention the 2010 World Cup, which we will host in true African style."
These events, said Maseko, present endless opportunities to market South Africa to the world.
The IPL will see the world's best cricketers in action, including Captain Sachin Tendulkar from the Mumbai Indians, Kevin Pietersen from the Royal Challengers Bangalore, as well as Sourav Ganguly and Adam Gilchrist participating in other Indian teams.
South African cricketers
Many of South Africa's leading cricketers will be in action too. Proteas' skipper Graeme Smith will again team up with Shane Warne for the Rajasthan Royals as they attempt to defend the crown they won in the IPL's first season.
The biggest contingent of South African players is featured in the Bangalore Royal Challengers line-up which includes Dale Steyn, Dillon du Preez, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, and Roelof van der Merwe.
Commenting on the announcement that the IPL will be hosted in South Africa, 2010 LOC chief executive Danny Jordaan said the decision to select South Africa "adds a feather to South Africa's cap."
A key figure in the country's winning the World Cup bid, Jordaan has spent countless hours fending off criticism from foreign media about the readiness of South Africa to stage the 2010 international football showcase.
'World confidence'
"Moving this tournament (IPL), with its considerable financial implications and huge global television audience, to South Africa in such a short space of time is yet another major indication of world confidence in us," he said.
"Some of the biggest cricket stars in the world will be here showcasing again the world-class facilities of our country and love for high-quality entertainment."
Meanwhile, Maseko also announced that a proposal for the South African National Defence Force to support the South African Police Services with borderline control during the Confederations Cup and 2010 Fifa World Cup finals had been approved.
A massive 41 000 additional policemen will be deployed before the 2010 tournament, with the police's budget alone amounting to R1.3-billion.
SAinfo reporter and BuaNews
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