By David Owen in Johannesburg
June 15 – Australia pulled out of the race for the 2018 World Cup at the right time, according to Frank Lowy, chairman of Football Federation Australia (FFA).
Speaking exclusively in South Africa to insideworldfootball, Lowy, who will celebrate his 80th birthday in October, acknowledged that, “My heart was on 2018.
“But my heart doesn’t make the decision for where the World Cup will go.
“I am a pragmatist.
“I want to get one of the World Cups to Australia.
“I was hoping very much for 2018 for my own longevity, for personal reasons.
“But since we put the bid in the forces gathered for Europe to have it.
“So what am I going to do?
“And we pulled out at the right time because our pull-out is co-operative.
“With FIFA’s interests, with European interests.
“I think it was a good decision.”
Australia’s decision, announced last week, to focus on 2022 has left the United States as the only non-European bidder for the 2018 World Cup.
The US is also in the 2022 race along with Japan, South Korea, Qatar and Australia.
Lowy acknowledged that Australia most likely would not have bid had the Chinese decided to enter the contest.
“If the Chinese were bidding we would probably not be bidding,” he said.
But he argued that Australia was best-placed of the current candidates to deliver an outstanding World Cup, both because of its experience in hosting major events and its location adjacent to fast-developing Asian markets.
“Australia will be sitting at that time at the biggest growth part of the world,” he said.
“With all the knowledge, know-how and experience [of hosting big sports competitions we are a] safe pair of hands.
“Where else would be better for football to be in 2022?
“Two-thirds of the world’s population lives within the Australian sphere/time-zone and Australia is very well equipped to host big sporting events.
“It’s a sport-loving nation…the Sydney Olympics was an example of what Australia does for big events…
“And imagine in 10 or 12 years from now what a powerhouse Asia is going to be.”
Lowy is in no doubt that hosting the World Cup would be good for Australia too.
“Internally you prepare infrastructure for that purpose and then it’s there for you to use for a long time to come,” he said.
“So that’s the internal benefit.
“[But in addition] The exposure that a country gets through the World Cup is immeasurable.
“My whole vision is to expose Australia to the world and expose the world to Australia.
“The World Cup in Germany has put a different face on Germany.
“What is that worth?
“You cannot buy it.”
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