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Page last updated at 14:09 GMT, Thursday, 21 May 2009 15:09 UK

Fifa condemns Nigeria preparations

Fifa's Jack Warner in Nigeria in January 2009
Fifa vice-president Jack Warner lead the inspection team

Football's world governing body Fifa says Nigeria faces losing the right to host the Under-17 World Cup.

Fifa vice-president Jack Warner, who led the recent inspection tour of Nigeria, has proposed giving organisers another month to prepare for the event.

Warner's proposal will have to be ratified by Fifa's Executive Committee meeting that begins on 31 May.

If no improvement is found after that, Fifa says an unnamed country, which is already on standby, will step in.

Warner's Fifa inspection team reported that only two cities are ready to host matches - Abuja and Lagos.

While the stadiums in Calabar, Enugu, Ijebu-Ode and Kano will be given the opportunity to achieve readiness by the end of the 'grace period', however the stadiums in Bauchi and Kaduna have already been ruled out as host venues.

"When the proposed 'grace period' expires, Fifa will return to visit the venues and if each and every one of them does not reach the 100% readiness level that we expect, then Fifa will withdraw the tournament hosting rights from Nigeria and go to another country," Warner said.

The inspection team were unable to travel Warri over the past days due to security concerns in the vicinity of the city and the Delta State region in general.

Fifa will continue to closely monitor the situation in the nearby environs of Warri and decide if it can still be considered a candidate venue.

If the Executive Committee approve the 'grace period' and the Fifa are able to visit Warri when it returns in July, it will do so to evaluate the facilities and possibly utilise Warri as a seventh venue.

Nigeria, despite being the reigning champions, only qualified for the event by virtue of being the hosts.

The build-up to the tournament has been beset with delays and difficulties.

Nigeria formally withdrew from holding the tournament at one stage after the government said hosting the event was not a priority.

They were persuaded to go back on the decision after the intervention of Fifa and the Confederation of African Football.

Warner, revealed that the alternative hosts, who are outside Africa, have already been on standby for the past nine months.

The head of the Nigerian Local Organising Committee, Sani Lulu, told the BBC he would consider what Fifa had to say before making a response.



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see also
Fifa abandons Warri visit
18 May 09 |  African
Fifa loses faith in Nigeria
27 Jan 09 |  African
Nigeria gives up under-17 event
23 Oct 08 |  African
Nigeria U-17 World Cup in doubt
22 Oct 08 |  African
Nigeria will act on Fifa warnings
21 Feb 08 |  African


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