Football does not belong to the rich only, Moroccan official
Football does not belong to the rich only, said acting president of Morocco's committee in charge of promoting Morocco's bid to host the 2006 World Cup, Driss Benhima.
Benhima was quoted by Malaysian news agency BERNAMA as saying the World Cup football finals have always been held in rich nations such as in the United States in 1994, France in 1998 and Japan/South Korea for 2002.
"Football belongs to everyone. We have to know whether only rich countries can play hosts," he told the media in the Malaysian capital.
Benhima is leading a Moroccan delegation to Kuala Lumpur to garner support for the country's candidacy from Asian delegates attending the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress.
The 24-member Fifa (world football body) executive committee will pick the
host for the 2006 finals in a meeting in Zurich on July 6.
Morocco, Brazil, South Africa, England and Germany are the bidders for the 2006 World Cup finals job.
Benhima said the African continent has never hosted the World Cup and it that it was the right time now for the continent to land the job.
"Our campaigning for the job has been fair and transparent and we abide by the rules. We are not spending big dollars to woo support," he said.
He said Morocco was the first African country to bid to host the World Cup in 1994 and 1998.
"We did not bid when Asia went for the 2002 edition on the understanding that the 2006 World Cup hosts job should go to Africa," he said.
"Africa supported Asia for the 2002 job and now it is Asia's turn to support us... we also have some Arab support."
Benhima said South Africa should have consulted Morocco before bidding for the 2006 World Cup job.
"Then at least we would only have one bidder from the African continent," he said.
"We had bidden twice before and South Africa should have asked us before going ahead."
On a European proposal that Africa host the 2010 edition with the 2006 job going to a European nation, Benhima said: "We don't need European support...when 2010 comes, some Latin American country will ask for it and Africa will be left out again."