João Havelange's Granddaughter Irritates World Cup Executives by Saying the Money Had Already Been Spent or Stolen

05/29/2014 - 09h44

Ricardo Teixeira's daughter Joana Havelange, 37, got close to be dismissed from the COL (local organizing committee of the World Cup) after posting a message supporting the event: "however much was spent, stolen, already has been".

Last Monday (26) she posted on her Instagram a message against the protests, asking the fans not to dress "in black in none of the tournament's match".

Joana is the executive director for strategic planning and the committee's operations support. She also promises to protest after the tournament.

"My protest over the World Cup will be done in the next elections. Moreover, to destroy what we have today will not change what will be done tomorrow", said the message.

The post irritated the executives involved in the event. They even considered dismissing her. In consideration to her father, a former head of the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) and the COL, they kept her, but they removed the power from her office.

The sentence she posted was even projected on a building in Rio de Janeiro last Tuesday (27).

She is João Havelange's - a former head of the committee - granddaughter. She was nominated by her father and held the position since its creation.

Teixeira left the entity in March 2012, under accusations of corruption.

The Swiss justice revealed ISL, Fifa's main partner for over a decade, has given the former CBF president 12.74 million Swiss francs (US$ 14.19 million) in July 2012.

Despite having her duties limited to the background organization, Joana has one of the highest salaries in the committee. She studied management in Estácio de Sá University and has a monthly income of approximately US$ 36 thousand.

Whilst posting the message, Joana celebrated the accomplishment of a Word Cup in the country. "We're going to host a World Cup and it's going to be beautiful! Brazil knows and can do it, well, it is already doing it!", she wrote.

Her message was praised by dozens of her friends on the social website.

Yesterday evening (28), she posted a message to apologize. The manager blamed "exploiters" who want to "create problems for the World Cup organization".

"I posted a message that runs through the social media in which I elevated the spirit of our country in such an important moment. I wasn't attentive to the sentence that has sparked controversy. I disagree with it and I regret not paying attention to it", she posted on her Instagram.

Translated by JULIANA CALDERARI

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	Rafael Andrade - 26.jul.2011/Folhapress
	Joana Havelange posted on her Instagram a message against anti-World Cup protests