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Home / Sport / Football

Soccer: South Africans leave nothing to chance

By Michael Brown in Rustenburg
Herald online·
15 Jun, 2009 11:08 PM3 mins to read

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It takes a few minutes for the police to react.

It's quite surprising, really, because they make up four cars in the 10-car convoy but once they know something is awry they are swift to react.

A black sedan is making its way through the police convoy delivering the All
Whites to their opening match at the Confederations Cup, driving aggressively as it passes a number of official vehicles before, eventually, the team bus.

One of the police cars brakes hard and forces the black sedan to the side of the road. A policeman is out of the car before it has even come to a complete stop, intimidatingly rushing to the sedan with his pistol drawn.

The driver, presumably, gets the fright of his life. Rather than being some terrorist trying to take out the All Whites and make some political statement, he was probably showing off to his mates and didn't realise what he had got himself in for. There would be no Munich or Lahore tonight.

Welcome to the 2009 Confederations Cup, South Africa style.

The South Africans are desperate for the tournament to go off without a hitch.

They are spending millions on security to ensure nothing goes wrong, giving Fifa any reason to strip them of the 2010 World Cup. That is unlikely but it would be a devastating blow not only to South Africa but the entire African continent which has waited so long to host the world's biggest tournament.

Even the international media are given police protection.

A trip to pick up accreditation is done with two police escorts - lights flashing - at speeds nearing 170km/h, as is a journey to another country's media session. A police helicopter often hovers overhead when the team travel to training.

And a sortie to the supermarket to buy hand sanitiser for the team or some snacks comes, of course, with a police escort. They are even willing to help you choose between the apple and cranberry cereal bars or the pickle-flavoured crisps.

For those used to the relative innocence and quiet of New Zealand, it is quite surreal. It's not hard to find yourself thinking about just how unreal it is as the blue police lights light up the night sky.

The All Whites have been largely sheltered from the hype surrounding the tournament.

They are staying at a bush lodge about 50km out of Rustenburg which has a tall electric fence encircling the property.

The fence is there mainly to keep out the wildlife - lions, elephants, baboons - but the symbolism is not lost on the players.

One described it as "our private prison". It's not a sleight it all, it's just they can't get away.

Just like the driver of the black sedan.

Michael Brown travelled to the Confederations Cup courtesy of Emirates, official airline of the 2010 World Cup.

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