Warner talks up Aussies World Cup chances after PM meeting
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – FIFA vice-president Jack Warner says Australia stands a good chance of succeeding in their bid to host either the 2018 or the 2022 football World Cup.
The Caribbean football mogul on Friday told the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd his country possessed a good record of holding world class events, and this augured well for their bid.
“Your country has demonstrated your ability to host world class events in the past,” Warner said to Rudd during an early morning meeting at the residence of the Australian Ambassador. “I am impressed by your commitment and involvement in this process.”
Only last week, Warner raised Australia’s hope after speaking favourably about the country’s bid.
Rudd’s meeting with Warner, a very influential member of FIFA’s top brass, was in an attempt to further strengthen his country’s bid chances.
Warner told Rudd that a World Cup bid extended way beyond figures and encompassed a country’s social responsibility and its commitment to football.
Rudd assured the CONCACAF president his government was already moving to ensure that sport was being used as mechanism to trigger social development.
He also told Warner that with FIFA needing to further expand the game globally, Australia would hold the key to this undertaking.
Rudd was one of two prime ministers meeting with Warner as British leader Gordon Brown also sat down with the football strongman on Friday.
The two leaders are attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting here.