Football: Blatter apologises for World Cup fiasco

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has apologised to South Africans for the fiasco that surrounded their unsuccessful bid to host the 2006 Soccer World Cup.

South Africa’s attempt to become the first African nation to host the soccer showpiece failed last year when Oceania delegate Charles Dempsey abstained from voting - giving the event to Germany by a 12-11 margin - even though he had been instructed to support South Africa after England’s bid failed.

''I would like to apologize to the South African people, President Thabo Mbeki and the great man Nelson Mandela for what happened regarding the 2006 World Cup bid,'' said Blatter, whose casting vote would have ensured South

Africa hosted the tournament if Dempsey had followed his mandate and the contest had been tied.

''You have won credibility and the respect of the world and you did not lose because you were not competitive enough, but because of the imbalance within the 24 member FIFA committee,'' he said.

Blatter added the option of rotating the hosting of the World Cup would be discussed at a FIFA conference in Argentina in July.