WORLD Cup boss Danny Jordaan has reportedly accused those voicing security fears over this summer's tournament of "double standards" in the wake of the terrorist attack on the Togo team.
Togo's team bus came under machine gun fire on Friday just after it had crossed the border from the Democratic Republic of Congo into the Angolan enclave of Cabinda.
"Why are people suddenly applying double standards?" Jordaan, the head of 2010 World Cup in South Africa, was quoted as saying by the News of the World.
"When there are terrorist attacks in Europe, do we hear about the 2012 Olympics being under threat? No.
"Angola and South Africa are two separate geographical areas, two separate countries.
"Besides, the African Nations Cup is not the World Cup."
Jordaan condemned what he called the "cowardly action", but insisted South Africa could not be held responsible for the African Nations Cup security arrangements.
He added: "Angola was locked in civil war for many years but, on the terrorism index, South Africa hardly features.
"All cowardly action must be condemned and not seen as an opportunist platform for attack.
"I'll be fully briefed about what happened but no country can take responsibility for the security of another.
"We cannot be called to account for the security arrangements of Angola, which is far removed from South Africa."
(reopens)
Jordaan insisted it would be unfair to expect the Togo players to continue in the competition.
He told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme: "It's tragic. Sport is not about death, it's about life - it's about celebration and it's about enjoying the challenge and skills of (Emmanuel) Adebayor.
"But if mentally and physically and psychologically they are not ready to continue then it would be unfair to expect them to continue in the competition."
Asked whether organisers were right to allow the African Nations Cup to continue, Jordaan said: "It's always difficult. In 1972 in the Munich Olympics virtually the entire Israeli team was mowed down and then there was a big debate as to whether or not the Olympics should continue.
"This is always a debate which is very difficult because nothing is more important than life but the event organisers decided that the tournament should continue and so proceed with the opening match and we hope that the tournament goes off well."
"Why are people suddenly applying double standards?" Jordaan, the head of 2010 World Cup in South Africa, was quoted as saying by the News of the World.
"When there are terrorist attacks in Europe, do we hear about the 2012 Olympics being under threat? No.
"Angola and South Africa are two separate geographical areas, two separate countries.
"Besides, the African Nations Cup is not the World Cup."
Jordaan condemned what he called the "cowardly action", but insisted South Africa could not be held responsible for the African Nations Cup security arrangements.
He added: "Angola was locked in civil war for many years but, on the terrorism index, South Africa hardly features.
"All cowardly action must be condemned and not seen as an opportunist platform for attack.
"I'll be fully briefed about what happened but no country can take responsibility for the security of another.
"We cannot be called to account for the security arrangements of Angola, which is far removed from South Africa."
(reopens)
Jordaan insisted it would be unfair to expect the Togo players to continue in the competition.
He told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme: "It's tragic. Sport is not about death, it's about life - it's about celebration and it's about enjoying the challenge and skills of (Emmanuel) Adebayor.
"But if mentally and physically and psychologically they are not ready to continue then it would be unfair to expect them to continue in the competition."
Asked whether organisers were right to allow the African Nations Cup to continue, Jordaan said: "It's always difficult. In 1972 in the Munich Olympics virtually the entire Israeli team was mowed down and then there was a big debate as to whether or not the Olympics should continue.
"This is always a debate which is very difficult because nothing is more important than life but the event organisers decided that the tournament should continue and so proceed with the opening match and we hope that the tournament goes off well."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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