FIFA President Sepp Blatter has revealed that lack of careful attention to African International Olympic Committee (IOC) members has been costly for recent Olympic bidders.
According to a report by Kicker Magazine in Germany Blatter admitted that scathing remarks by Bayern Munich Football Club chief Uli Hoeness against preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa alienated all of the African voters.
Issa Hayatou, President of African soccer told senior FIFA member Franz Beckenbaur that Africa would not be behind Munich’s bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Munich was defeated by PyeongChang in a landslide.
According to Blatter, Beckenbauer, who was in Durban to support Munich’s bid was told “you should not count on any African vote. We have not forgotten the way you tried to destroy the World Cup.”
Blatter said he revealed this predicament to the Lord Mayor of Munich Christian Ude just prior to the final vote adding that “Paris lost the 2012 Olympics to London because they failed to court the African votes.”
“Without the 12 African votes there is no way you can win Olympic Games.”
Paris lost that decision to London by a close vote of 54-50.
Hoeness’ comments were also critical of Blatter, blaming him for a poor decision to elect South Africa amid security and infrastructure concerns.
