The road to the World Cup 2018 will be a green and sustainable one, according to former Holland international, Ruud Guillet, who is hoping to sway the opinion of Fifa’s decision panel before the venue is chosen today.
Guillet, who enjoyed a playing career with the likes of AC Milan, Sampdoria and Chelsea, and achieved success as a manager at the former, as well as appearing as a TV pundit, is putting Holland’s case forward for hosting the World Cup and has promised it will be a sustainable event.
Wind-powered floodlights
Guillet says the stadium will be lit by floodlights powered by wind energy and there will be recycled plastic included in the fabric of the players’ jerseys and most interestingly that traction on the pitch will power the stadiums as the players run on the field.
Holland, which is bidding for the accolade with potential joint host, Belgium, is competing against England and Russia, as well as a joint bid from Spain and Portugal, and the 22-man Fifa panel will choose the venue for the 2018 Football World Cup this afternoon.
Free bicycle transport
According to Edie.net, former world player of the year 1987 Guillet arrived to present his bit on a bicycle and made assurances that Holland – famous for its love of bicycle use – and Belgium would make 2 million bicycles freely available to fans with tickets.
“Green candidacy is spectacular because we are 50pc less damaging to the environment and encourage the fans to cycle to matches to go green,” said Guillet.
The bid chief executive, Harry Been, said a World Cup in both countries would be the “greenest ever” and their pitch fitted in well with their strategy.
The 2010 World Cup in South Africa was deemed to have failed in its attempt to incorporate sustainable building assessment tool (SBAT) for stadia, despite the tool adding value to the project and promoting the development of the assessment tool.
