South Africa To Make Bid For 2020 Olympic Games After World Cup Glory

South Africa is hoping to follow up its World Cup hosting by making a bid to stage the Olympics after confirming the country's plans to bid for the 2020 Games.

Organisers are hoping that the success of the World Cup this year will boost South Africa's chances of also being the first African country to host the Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) hasn't begun the selection progress yet, but it will soon start and will name the host in mid-2013.

There are other cities that have expressed an interest in bidding for the 2020 games:

• Budapest in Hungary, Busan in South Korea, Delhi in India.
• Taiwan, Dubai and Italy have all shown some interest. 

South Africa was in the running back in 2004, where Cape Town made a pitch, but finished in third place, with the games final going to Athens.

South Africa intends to provide a "world-class city capable of hosting Africa's first Olympic Games in 2020". 

President Jacob Zuma has publicly stated that he believes South Africa has the facilities to host the games in 10 years. 

IOC president Jacques Rogge met with Zuma in South Africa during the World Cup and attended the final. 

He also said that South Africa certainly does have the facilities, it is up to the country if it wants to host the games. 

For the World Cup the South Africans built several new stadiums, while infrastructure improvements in transport, energy and communications also took place.

The World Cup has certainly helped the country and the continent.

If the Olympics also go to South Africa it can only be good news for all Africans.