Olympics 2008 News
South Africa will not bid for 2020 Olympics
May 26, 2011, 14:34 GMT
Johannesburg - South Africa ended speculation on Thursday when the government said there will be no bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympic.
The country hosted the football World Cup in 2010 and the South African Sports Federation had asked the cabinet to consider bidding to take on the Olympics.
The South African government said it would put its focus on reducing poverty. Unemployment stands at 25 per cent and citizens are increasingly dissatisfied with service delivery.
'Cabinet has decided that it is better for the country to consolidate the gains of the 2010 FIFA World Cup for now and rather focus the country's attention to the delivery of basic services to all South Africans,' the government said in a statement.
Brazil, another key emerging player in global economics and politics, will host the 2014 World Cup and then the 2016 Olympics and there had been speculation South Africa would be keen to follow in its footsteps.
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