The possibility of hosting one fully renovated Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion his matches World Cup in 2030revealed the Lefteris Avgenakis, speaking to SKAI of Crete. The Deputy Minister of Sports confirmed the information that they want to be done dconsultations to submit a joint candidacy of Greece, Saudi Arabia and Egypt for the organization of the World Cup.
“Indeed, we have started a discussion with these two countries to prepare to claim such an event, but we still have a way to go. I don’t hide from you that we have put several concerns on the table about issues that go beyond sports, such as respect for human rights, working conditions, the attitude of Saudi Arabia in the recent energy crisis. Despite all this, we are simultaneously working carefully, without exaggeration and without having reached a conclusion and being ready to announce an official claim“, he said and added:
“There is a perennial interest from the Arabs, and from Qatar, but also from Saudi Arabia, to get closer to Europe. And one way they chose is through sports. The strategy they have implemented in recent years is now noticeable. That’s how the conversation started. Nothing is locked. No nomination file has been submitted. We are a team that is working towards this, but we still have a long way to go».
Mr. Avgenakis stated that for his part, three Greek cities have fallen on the table, including Heraklion. “If the project goes ahead, the Pankritio Stadium will be completely renovated, so that it will be a modern stadium, capable of hosting World Cup matches. But I make it clear that we still have a long way to go before we reach and table our file and it is a joint demand“, he emphasized.
Source: Sport Fm
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