Zurich, Sept 21 - World soccer governing body FIFA Monday said security in South Africa, the host of next year's World Cup, was as good as anywhere in the world and asked everyone to trust Africans and South Africa.
'Please support us by saying let's go there, and trust Africans, trust South Africa. They are ready to organise the game and they can also organise your security. 100 percent security... you can never find it nowhere in the world,' FIFA president Joseph Blatter told mediapersons here.
Responding to a query from a scribe on security-related issues in South Africa, the FIFA top boss said he was surprised by such questions.
Pointing out that the Confederation Cup held in June in South Africa has attracted more spectators than the previous edition of the tournament in Germany four years back, Blatter said, 'There was not a single incident regarding security. And still questions are being asked -'what about security?'. Security in South Africa is the security that you will find in other parts of the world.'
'And don't forget that South Africa is a tourist country. Every year more than 11 million people travel to South Africa not for football, but because they like the country,' said the Blatter, 73, who has been FIFA president since 1998.
'Give me one country in the world where you can say I am secure. Only one. Not even here in the paradise of Switzerland. Definitely not,' he said.
The FIFA chief asserted that security for the June 11-July 11 event will be on the same scale as last year's Beijing Olympics.