Safa president Danny Jordaan says he’ll have to hear Fifa’s stance on the war waged by the US on Iran before commenting on whether the military action compromises this year’s World Cup, to be hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, this winter.
“No, I won’t comment; I want to first speak to Fifa,” was Jordaan’s response when this reporter put the question to him on Monday at Standard Bank offices in Rosebank, where Safa and the financial giant announced a four-year sponsorship deal for all national teams.
“The World Cup is not ours; it’s a Fifa event. It’s Monday today, and I’m here, and I don’t know what is happening. So I must speak to Fifa and Caf.”
While Jordaan indicated he would initiate discussions with the football bodies this week, he was noncommittal on what stance they should take amid growing concerns the escalating war could prompt Iran to pull out of the event, which would make the Islamic republic the first country in history to do so.
Iran qualified after coming first in their group and have been pooled in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.
Sowetan put it to Jordaan, who was CEO of the local organising committee leading to the World Cup hosted in South Africa in 2010, that this country had faced hostile media coverage with some calls from Western media to move the event elsewhere due to rampant crime. He would not be drawn on whether similar calls to move the World Cup from the US would be legitimate.
Four years ago, 2018 World Cup hosts Russia were suspended by Uefa and Fifa after the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Russian athletes have also not been able to fly the country’s flag in global sporting events, including the Olympics.
It’s unclear if Fifa will adopt the same stance against the US with the tournament starting in less than four months’ time.
“No, I won’t answer that. I’m here with you, not in the Middle East; let me find out what Fifa says,” Jordaan said.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported on Monday that Iranian football officials had indicated whether the country would boycott this year’s World Cup. “What we can say now is that due to this attack and its viciousness, it is far from our expectations that we can look at the World Cup with hope,” Reuters quoted Iran’s soccer boss Mehdi Taj as saying.
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