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| Tanzania prepare for Madrid visit |
3/9/2007 |
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The Tanzanian government has announced that Spanish giants Real Madrid will tour the country in July and that preparations for the high-profile visit have already started.
Muhammed Seif Khatib, Tanzania''s Minister of Information, Culture and Sports, says the nine-time European champions have confirmed their decision to visit in a letter to the Tanzanian ambassador in France.
Nonetheless, Real Madrid has still to publicly comment on the tour.
Real''s visit will be used as part of the celebrations to open Dar es Salaam''s new Olympic standard 60,000-capacity stadium, including a planned match.
In the letter, Real reportedly demanded five-star treatment, such as business class air travel and five-star hotel accommodation, as well as a fee for the matches it will play.
The government has responded to Real''s demands by appointing a ten-man committee to raise the needed funds.
The tour will inspire our players to improve their skill and will be good publicity for us
Minister Muhammed Seif Khatib
The committee is headed by Colonel Iddi Kipingu, the country''s Sports Council Chairman, and includes Leodegar Tenga, the president of the Tanzanian Football Federation.
The minister insisted that it will be worth spending millions of dollars to host Real, who are on the verge of completing four seasons without silverware.
Khatib said the visiting football stars will inspire the local players as well as raise the profile of the Tanzanian game.
"The tour will inspire our players to improve their skill, and it will also be good publicity for us," the minister said.
"It will be money well spent."
Young Africans, one of the teams lined up to play Real, has declared it will pay the fee for its match against the European giants.
The Spanish giants were invited by President Jakaya Kikwete, who visited the club last September.
Real Madrid''s proposed visit follows hot on the heels of Ahly''s declaration that they will play Barcelona as part of the Egyptian giants'' centenary celebrations.
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