JOHANNESBURG(South Africa) 9 Oct 1998 A second fact-finding delegation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is to visit Zimbabwe to inspect preparations for the 2000 African Nations Cup finals.
Spokesman for CAF, Viken Djizmedjian said that the delegation, made up of executive committee members and sponsorship and marketing representatives, will visit sites in Bulawayo, Harare, Mutare and QweQwe in December.
The Confederation has approved the four venues as potential sites for the tournament, to be held in early 2000, although no final decision has yet been made.
A CAF delegation, led by president Issa Hayatou, made an initial visit to Zimbabwe in August. They made no comment after the trip but travelling marketing officials and reporters criticised the slow start to the building of facilities for the 16-nation tournament.
It led to speculation that the tournament might be moved to an alternative venue, with Morocco or Egypt named as potential substitutes.
But Dzijmedjian said CAF officials had received a detailed presentation on the Zimbabwean plans and a timetable for construction at a meeting last month in Cairo with Leo Mugabe, the president of the Zimbabwean Football Association.
"The next delegation will have a look at how things are coming along," he said. GRi
