The 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee (OC) South Africa has congratulated Cricket South Africa (CSA) after the country was chosen to host the 2009 DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament.
The tournament, which features some of the world's premier cricketers, takes place in six South African cities from 18 April to 24 May 2009.
CSA has been given less than a month to organise the 59-game tournament, indicating yet again the confidence IPL organisers and world sporting bodies have in South African organisers' ability to stage major events.
"Moving this prestigious tournament, with its considerable financial implications and huge global television audience, to South Africa in such a short space of time is yet another major indication of the confidence the international community has in our country's ability to stage major international sporting events. Some of the world's biggest cricketing stars will be here showcasing again our country's world-class facilities and love for high-quality sporting entertainment. With the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 taking place soon thereafter in June, the South African public are in for a real bonanza of great sporting action," said the OC's CEO, Dr Danny Jordaan.
IPL organisers said South Africa's successful staging of the inaugural 20/20 Cricket World Cup in 2007 was a major contributing factor to the decision to stage the DLF Indian Premier League tournament in South Africa.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) also announced that South Africa would stage the ICC Champions Trophy in September this year, after the tournament was moved from Pakistan due to security concerns.
In a separate statement the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee (OC) South Africa has noted that the Peace Conference, scheduled to take place on Friday 27 March 2009, has been indefinitely postponed.
"The Organising Committee would like to state that, contrary to certain media reports, we were not the organisers of the Peace Conference. The OC was not party to the discussions around the event and was not responsible for inviting guests to the Peace Conference," said Dr Danny Jordaan.
