Menu for Brazilian Athletes in Russia May Include Barbecues but Not Feijoada

07/02/2018 - 11h57

Feijoada, a Brazilian stew made from beans, beef and pork, was considered off limits for the World Cup by the Brazil team's medical staff. However, the athletes may be allowed to have barbecues now and then.

According to the team doctor and nutritionist Andréia Picanço, 35, the biggest challenge was to find a way to offer the players a variety of meals so that during the competition they wouldn't get tired of eating the same food.

In terms of ingredients used to prepare typical Brazilian dishes, The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) managed to get the approval of the Russian government to import several kilos of beans and manioc flour from Rio de Janeiro.

"Feijoada no, but we might have a barbecue. We're going to see about a day where we can have one because it's tasty and they miss it. If we have a barbecue and include rice and beans then it won't be all that different [from feijoada]," the nutritionist said.

The Brazil team had a barbecue at the beginning of the month, when they were getting ready for the World Cup at the Tottenham training center in London.

Feijoada, which was vetoed this time around, has been the source of controversy when it comes to the Brazil team. In 1994, it led then-nutritionist of the CBF, Patrícia Bertolucci, to resign.

She decided to quit in light of resistance to her nutrition plans. At the time, around 100 kilos of sausage, beef and bacon were stored in Teresópolis - which is where the team was getting ready for the World Cup in the United States - so that they could cook the bean stew.

	Thiago Bernardes/FramePhoto/Folhapress
	Brazil soccer team

Ricardo Teixeira, then-president of the confederation, poked fun at the idea, saying: "If there's ever feijoada at the World Cup, make sure to call me so I can have some".

Brazil Athletes in Russia are typically having five meals a day: the number of meals may vary depending on whether or not the team will play a game. French fries were also vetoed and desserts are a rare treat.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

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