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PREPARING SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE WORLD |
Pedro Pinto, a well-known sports anchor for CNN International is preparing for next week's 2010 Final Draw in Cape Town. He has hosted the last four UEFA Champions League Draws, where he delivered the best player of the year awards. Over his career Pinto has interviewed many huge international sports personalities such as Ronaldo, Kaká, Robinho, José Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson, and Pelé. Project 2010 spoke to him about the final draw and other issues...  Could you give us an indication of the international interest there is in this event? The interest is immense. This event will mark the start of the official countdown to kick-off. Everyone can start looking forward to the group phase and start speculating about who can make the final stages of the tournament. The news interest at CNN is extremely high and we are covering it as a major international event. What does CNN have planned to showcase the event? CNN has been building up to the event throughout 2009 with a series of reports on South Africa - 'South Africa 2010' - on how the country is preparing to host the tournament. On the day, we will be on the air live from Cape Town with various interviews with top names in the game. We will dedicate at least three hours to the draw and then have reaction to the results from all over the world. Now that all 32 countries have qualified and most of the major 2010 construction projects are nearing completion, how is the mood towards South Africa? Is there a sense that they will host a successful World Cup? Everyone believes South Africa as a nation will be ready to host the World Cup. As a journalist and a football fan, I am looking forward to feeling the atmosphere and the energy the country has to offer. Although there have been concerns regarding security in Johannesburg, I am confident the local authorities will put in everything in place for supporters to feel safe and enjoy the football. In terms of CNN's coverage of other mega global sporting events, how does the 2010 World Cup compare? The coverage will probably be the most expansive of any World Cup CNN has ever been involved with. The history factor is huge since it will be played in Africa for the first time, and the popularity of the World Cup has grown immensely in recent times. It transcends sport. It's news and it's entertainment. I am looking forward to being a part of the coverage and we will take all the stories of this World Cup around the world with our programming. * Pinto hosts live coverage of the World Cup draw from 6pm on Friday 4th December on CNN International. The special programme, 'South Africa 2010' airs on Saturday 5th December at 7.30pm and Sunday 6th December at 2pm and 9.30pm. more interviews...
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