Asia chief has no fears

Mohamed Bin Hammam has no security fears

The head of Asian football chief has played down security fears surrounding the 2010 World Cup ahead of next week's crunch Fifa vote in Zurich.

Mohamed Bin Hammam, the president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), says he does not think that the possible threat of terrorism in North Africa or crime in South Africa would be a factor in the vote on 15 May.

The influential Qatari official - one of four Asian members on the 24-strong Fifa Executive Committee that will decide where the 2010 tournament is staged - believes no country in the world could ever be 100 percent risk-free.

"Unfortunately, the safest place in the world today can be dangerous tomorrow," said Bin Hammam said when asked if he thought the vote could hinge on which bidding nation was judged to pose the lesser security threat.

Unfortunately, the safest place in the world today can be dangerous tomorrow Mohamed Bin Hammam President - AFC

Bin Hammam said water-tight security was part and parcel of staging a World Cup and that the 2010 tournament would be no exception.

"We know that whoever wins will give security the priority it deserves," he said.

South Africa are seen as the favourite to win the right to stage the greatest footballing show on earth after a Fifa inspection report published this week gave it a glowing review.

Asia played a decisive role in the controversial voting for the 2006 World Cup four years ago, when Germany pipped South Africa by one vote.

The AFC had initially indicated it would support South Africa but then switched allegiances to Germany as part of an ultimately unsuccessful power-game to de-throne Fifa president Sepp Blatter.

The decision to support the German bid saw relations between the AFC and the Confederation of African Football plunge to an all-time low, with Africa severing all footballing links with the region.

Bin Hammam is determined to avoid a repeat this time around, and has reiterated an earlier statement that Asia would not be voting as a bloc.

"We took the decision in January that seeing as the vote is between all African nations, we will not vote as one," he said.

"The individual members will make up their own minds and then make their choice," added Bin Hammam.