FIFA general-secretary Jerome Valcke on Friday made a scathing attack on Brazil’s preparations for the 2014 Soccer World Cup, saying “not a lot is moving” and organizers needed “a kick up the backside.”
Valcke, who has continually raised concerns about the tournament, said time was running out and there was no “Plan B” in place.
However, Brazilian Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo hit back, telling reporters in Brazil that his priority was for native Indians and low-income families to be able to go to matches, while FIFA wanted to make a profit.
Soccer’s ruling body is particularly concerned about transport and accommodation issues and also worried about the sluggish movement through Brazilian bureaucracy of World Cup laws relating to the sale of alcohol.
“I don’t understand why things are not moving,” Valcke told reporters. “The stadiums are not on schedule any longer — and why are a lot of things late?
“The concern is nothing is made or prepared to receive so many people. I am sorry to say but things are not working in Brazil,” he said.
“You expect more support,” said Valcke, who is in England for the annual meeting of the International Football Association Board, FIFA’s lawmaking body.
“We should have received these documents signed by 2007 and we are in 2012. You have to push yourself, get a kick up the backside and just deliver this World Cup,” he said.
Brazil was awarded the World Cup in 2007, although the decision had been on the cards since 2003, when the other nine South American federations agreed to support the country as their only candidate.
That decision was taken after the tournament had been earmarked for South America under FIFA’s short-lived rotation system.
Valcke said the tournament would go ahead, but warned that fans could suffer.
“There are not enough hotels,” he said.
“You have more than enough in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, but if you think about Manaus you need more,” he said.
“Let’s say in Salvador you have England [versus] Holland and you have 12 percent of the stadium with English fans and 12 percent Dutch — that’s 24 percent of 60,000 fans. Where are they all going to stay?” he asked.
“The city is nice, but the way to get to the stadium and all the organization of transportation has to be improved,” he added.
FIFA had initially planned to base teams in just one part of Brazil to minimize travel, but organizers said matches had to be spread across the country. Valcke said that made for extra demands.
“We made the decision to move the teams and it means we were criticized,” Valcke said.
“If you follow one team you will have to fly 8,000km,” he said.
“We did it at the request of Brazil. Having supported the decision we have to ensure the fans and the media ... will be able to follow their team,” he added.
Valcke also said it appeared Brazil were more concerned with winning the World Cup than organizing a good tournament.
“Our concern is nothing is made or prepared to receive so many people because the world wants to go to Brazil,” he added.
“That’s the big difference between South Africa in 2010 and Brazil. The people don’t care about security, they don’t care about the weather — it’s amazing,” he said.
“In South Africa it was winter, it was dark. In Brazil the weather will be perfect. But I can tell you from the other side of the organization it is not exactly that,” he said.
Rebelo said negotiations would continue.
“FIFA is a private entity and it doesn’t want the same as us from the World Cup. They are looking for profits. I want tickets for native Indians to watch matches in Manaus and for low-income families to be able to take part in the event,” he said.
“So we have to negotiate,” he added.
“FIFA may think that Brazil is asking too much, but the fact is that Brazil has already done far more for world soccer than it’s asking for at the moment,” Rebelo said.
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