JOHANNESBURG, May 26: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge expressed confidence on Friday in South Africa’s ability to host the 2010 football World Cup.

On his first official visit as part of a four-nation tour of southern Africa, Rogge was briefed by the 2010 local organising committee and came away convinced that deadlines for the event will be met.

“The World Cup, together with the Olympic Games, are the major sports events in the world. They are something which triggers a lot of expectations,” Rogge said. “I am absolutely convinced that South Africa and Africa are capable of staging a major sporting event and you will prove me right in June 2010.”

South Africa won the right to host the World Cup in 2004, but has been dogged by doubts about its ability to stage the tournament ever since. It faces logistical problems in overhauling its transport system, updating infrastructure and coping with rampant crime.

However, local soccer and government officials have repeatedly stressed that South Africa is on, if not ahead of, schedule and that security will be tightened.

Rogge, who was closely involved in the Sydney and Athens Olympics, said public support is always low in the initial stages of organising a big event.

“People don’t see anything happening, don’t see any construction,” he said. “The first phase is always a difficult one, you have to convince the public that you are progressing, but the more you progress (the more) you see the approval rate increasing, so by the time event happens there is massive approval.”

There is pressure from within South Africa to ensure that the country’s black majority is reflected in the racial composition of sport, shaking off the legacy of apartheid.

But a new bill that empowers the sports minister to force sporting bodies to increase the number of black participants, and withdraw funding from federations which fail to comply, has caused outrage.

Critics say this is in violation of IOC and FIFA rules, but the IOC executive member Sam Ramsamy said the bill doesn’t contravene international sporting rules and would not have “a negative impact on sport.”—AP