Osasu Obayiuwana BBC Sport

Ismail Bhamjee says he may not back South Africa for World Cup 2010

Fifa executive member Ismail Bhamjee has warned that his support for South Africa in the 15 May vote for the 2010 World Cup host is not assured.

Although Bhamjee is the president of the Confederation of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) - with South Africa within his sphere of responsibility - the Botswanan said he has not made a firm decision to support them.

"If South Africa think that they have my vote in the bag, they are making a big mistake," the Cosafa president told BBC Sport in London, where he is attending Fifa's executive committee meeting on 29 February.

The 60 year-old, one of the four Africans on the Fifa executive, said Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco, the other contenders in the all-African race for 2010, are still in with a chance to sway his mind.

"I cannot give South Africa a one hundred percent guarantee at the moment.

"Although I am the president of Cosafa and South Africa is one of our members, I am bound to support the bid that is in the best interest of the African continent," he said.

Bhamjee, beaten by Cameroon's Issa Hayatou by 46 votes to six in the Caf presidential elections that took place in January in Tunis, admits he is just coming to terms with the severity of the defeat.

If South Africa think that they have my vote in the bag, they are making a big mistake Ismail Bhamjee

He accused South Africa's football officials of playing a major role in his election failure.

"I was really shocked that they campaigned against me, even though the Cosafa region had played a key role in my decision to contest the election," Bhamjee said.

"I could understand that they did not want to upset [Caf president Issa] Hayatou because of their 2010 bid but I could not understand why they actively played a role in my defeat.

"At the moment, everyone in the race to host the 2010 World Cup finals is still in with a chance of winning, so we will see what happens."