JOHANNESBURG — South Africa plans to meet world soccer body FIFA next week to discusswhat they believe is a valid appeal against Germany’s successful bid for the 2006 World Cup.

Irvin Khoza, chairman of South Africa’s 2006 Bid Committee, said on Friday after a week-long meeting with top Belgian lawyer Louis du Pont that he was confident there were options open to the country.

‘I feel very encouraged about our discussions with Mr Du Pont, and we certainly have a basis for taking this matter forward,’ he said.

‘We have three options available to us, and I feel we can pursue any one of them.’

South Africa lost last month’s voting 12-11, with New Zealand’s Charles Dempsey, who had a mandate from his country to vote for South Africa, abstaining from the final round.

Dempsey said later that he was under ‘undue pressure’ not to vote, but the South Africans have challenged the grounds of his abstention.

Khoza said he will be discussing the situation with his executive on Monday. ‘After that, we will fly to Zurich and meet with FIFA on this issue.’

Khoza did not detail the options or say whether South Africa will be requesting a re-vote from FIFA, whose president Sepp Blatter has already stated the vote will stand.

Reuters

Source: SOCOG