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27 new pitches for sa villages

UNITED: National Lottery Distribution's Serhan Naidoo is sandwiched by Danny Jordaan, LOC's chief executive officer, and soccer legend Mark Fish at a media briefing yesterday. 06/04/09. Pic. Ramatsiyi Moholoa. © Sowetan.
UNITED: National Lottery Distribution's Serhan Naidoo is sandwiched by Danny Jordaan, LOC's chief executive officer, and soccer legend Mark Fish at a media briefing yesterday. 06/04/09. Pic. Ramatsiyi Moholoa. © Sowetan.

Ramatsiyi Moholoa

Ramatsiyi Moholoa

Remote South African villages will also benefit from the 2010 World Cup with R81 million set aside to build 27 artificial pitches as legacy projects.

The money has been donated by the National Lottery Distribution Fund, led by South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee chief Gideon Sam.

Also present at the launch at Safa House were Local Organising Committee chief executive Danny Jordaan and Kirsten Nematendani, Safa legacy committee convenor.

Jordaan said: "We approached the National Lottery Board to discuss the issue of establishing grounds with artificial pitches.

"Fifa has embarked on a programme to establish artificial pitches on the African continent, they have been established in most of the countries."

Jordaan said they were working closely with Safa's legacy committee in their plan to establish artificial turfs in all the 52 regions of the local soccer federation.

He said the LOC was holding meetings with soccer greats like Samuel Eto'o, Nwankwo Kanu, Lilian Thuram and Clarence Seedorf to work together on projects to develop the game in Africa.

Greg Fredericks, LOC legacy programmes acting head, said three grounds with artificial pitches would be built in each of the nine provinces, at a cost of R3million each.

The facilities will also have change rooms, perimeter fencing and floodlights.

"The days of players changing in the cars or bushes before and after the games are over," said Fredericks. "We plan to complete the first facilities before the 2010 World Cup. The first ones will be ready by December and the other 18 in April next year."

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