Test for the World Cup Has Protests, Food Shortages and Poor Fields

06/25/2013 - 08h12

If the Confederations Cup has been successful on the fields, problems have escalated in the grandstands and outside the stadiums, mobilizing the federal government and FIFA, the world's governing body of soccer, and sending out an alert regarding the 2014 World Cup.

The biggest and most unexpected problem was the confrontation outside the stadiums involving the police and demonstrators protesting against the sports events. The intensity and the range of the protests in several capital cities alarmed FIFA directors. There has been fighting and the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and arrests, as well as people injured in the surroundings of the stadiums Castelão (Fortaleza), Mané Garrincha (Brasilia) and Fonte Nova (Salvador).

In Belo Horizonte alone, where Brazil will play against Uruguay tomorrow, 37 people were injured and 32 arrested during a protest before the match between Japan and Mexico.

The main problems concerning FIFA and the LOC (Local Organizing Committee) included the bad conditions of fields, such as those of Brasilia and Salvador, and the training centers, which affected some teams. Fans suffered with the disorganization in ticket distribution, which led to long lines, and poor service at the stadiums, with food shortages and bad mobile phone and internet signals.

Also, there have been at least two robberies at hotels (involving the Spanish delegation and Suzana Werner, the wife of Brazilian goalkeeper Júlio César. Last week, FIFA's general secretary, Jérôme Valcke, called for more security before the 2014 World Cup. "We hope the protests won't continue next year. Brazil has to solve the problem," Valcke told UOL, a company controlled by Grupo Folha, which publishes Folha. "We haven't had any major problems, but a series of small incidents, such as the problem with ticket control. There are no bad aspects to be cited in terms of organization problems," he said.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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