Ellis Park to remain Ellis Park for World cup

Notwithstanding a R45 million naming rights deal to change the name to the Coca-Cola Stadium, Ellis Park will remain Ellis Park for the duration of the 2010 World Cup - and next year's Confederations Cup where the final will be staged.

This was announced appropriately on Wednesday at Ellis Park itself by Fifa Media officer Delia Fischer when the world body's president, Sepp Blatter, rounded off a four-day World Cup inspection visit by demonstrating general satisfaction with what he had seen by doing an impromptu tap-dancing routine.

"When I arrive in Africa," he explained, "I just feel like dancing. There is something in the air that I find stimulating and exciting."

The up-beat Fifa president even diplomatically masked his previous scathing criticsm of South Africa's national team, Bafana Bafana, by stating "the talent is there - all that is now needed is to put it into effective shape."

All indeed! Blatter even joked that he would be available to do the job when his tenure as president of Fifa ended in 2011.

And, who knows, he might be needed. When asked about the working staff at the six stadiums still under construction for the World Cup and and the strikes that had taken place at some of the venues, Blatter disclosed that it had been decided to award each of the 20 000 workers two tickets for the World Cup games.

An appealing crumb of comfort, no doubt, but hardly enough to compensate for the picks and shovels Blatter had demanded to see on a previous visit and were now being implemented feverishly and effectively at all the Gauteng World Cup and Confederations Cup match venues and training stadiums.

Sapa