China Suffers Grievous Losses from WWC 2003 Relocation

Home>>Sports

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, May 08, 2003

China Suffers Grievous Losses from WWC 2003 Relocation

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The Chinese Football Association (CFA) on Saturday received an official fax from General-secretary with soccer's world governing body FIFA and was informed that FIFA, in order to prevent SARS from affecting the Women's World Cup 2003 and guarantee the health of all the participating teams, decided to relocate the event out of China. Later on Sunday, CFA released a statement saying, " The CFA and the Organizing Committee of the Women's World Cup 2003 understand and respect the decision by FIFA Executive Committee."

FIFA worried about the aftermath of SARS

Having received the fax from the FIFA, the CFA on Sunday morning held an emergency meeting, making an aftermath plan and submitting it to State General Administration of Sports for approval.

According to CFA's two leading cadres �� Mr. Zhang Jilong and Mr. Zhang Jianqiang, the aftermath plan covers a relatively wide range of details, which are yet to be counted and checked. Therefore, until the plan is decided on the four hosting cities -- Shanghai, Wuhan, Hangzhou and Chengdu -- will not be notified.

The FIFA's decision did not put the CFA in a rush. Instead, they believed they would deliver a proper handling. As for the Chinese women's soccer team, the above-said leaders held the relocation of the Women's World Cup 2003 did induce some effect. Originally the Chinese women's soccer team would rather participate in the Women's Asian Cup for warming up, but now alterations should be made into this goal. Although there is basically no question for Chinese women's soccer team to qualify for the next round of the competitions of Women's Asian Cup, yet no accident could be secured in view of sentimental changes of the relocation as well as tactical adjustments of the team. The two leaders thus pinned their hope on coach Mr. Ma Liangxing to well readjust the team.

Direct losses as much as 70 million yuan

According to crude estimates by Mr. Wang Qi, general-manager with China Sports Advertising Corporation (CSAC), the Chinese side suffered 70 million yuan of direct losses from the relocation of the Women's World Cup, let alone the immeasurable losses in manpower and materiel.

Mr. Wang Qi explained that, in order to satisfy the requirements in world cup sports grounds set by the FIFA, the four hosting cities-- Shanghai, Wuhan, Hangzhou and Chengdu -- had renovated the respective sports grounds. Wuhan city in particular, it not only rebuilt a brand-new sports ground specially for the Women's World Cup but also injected enormous manpower and materiel in the preparations for the lots-drawing ceremony of the event. And Chengdu, also invested millions of yuan in rectification and reform, since it did not reach the set standard in the first inspection by the FIFA.

By PD Online Staff Zhu Lizhen

Questions?Comments? Click here

Organizing Committee for 2003 Women's World Cup Set up in Beijing

SARS -- an Opportunity China Reshuffles Public Health, Disease Prevention System ( 3 Messages)

SARS Virus Genomic Sequencing Raises Vaccine Hopes ( 2 Messages)

70 Chinese Navy Sailors Killed in Submarine Disaster ( 8 Messages)

Iraq War Reshapes Military Landscape: News Analysis ( 9 Messages)

CCTV English Channel Landing in United States ( 2 Messages)