No plans to scrap Confederations Cup due to protests, insists FIFA
Source: Agencies |
June 22, 2013, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FIFA has not discussed the possibility of cancelling the Confederations Cup, which has been overshadowed by protests sweeping Brazil, soccer's governing body said yesterday.
"To date, neither FIFA nor the local organizing committee have ever discussed any such possibility of cancelling the FIFA Confederations Cup," FIFA said in a statement.
In a later statement it added: "FIFA in constant contact with all stakeholders, including teams. FIFA has not received any requests to leave Brazil, from any team.
"FIFA is in constant contact with local authorities. Have full trust in security arrangements and we'll continue to monitor situation. FIFA supports and acknowledges the right of free speech and to demonstrate peacefully and condemns any form of violence."
CBN radio and the website of the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper, both respected, Brazilian media, carried reports earlier yesterday speculating that the eight-team tournament, considered a dry run for next year's World Cup, was in danger.
"FIFA will claim compensation from Brazil if the Confederations Cup has to be suspended," said a headline on CBN's website.
An estimated one million people took to the streets in cities across Brazil on Thursday as the country's biggest protests in two decades intensified despite government concessions meant to quell them.
The protests, now in their second week, have been about high taxes, inflation, corruption and poor public services and have also targeted the US$26 billion of public money being spent on the World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.
A CBN report said one of the eight teams was pressuring its leaders to leave the Confederations Cup because it was worried about relatives who were in Brazil to watch the matches.
"On the legal side, there's a certain degree of confidence on FIFA's part that if the tournament is cancelled, it can launch a claim from the Brazilian government, if there are no safety guarantees for the competition or the World Cup," said the report by Juck Kfouri, a veteran journalist.
The Estado said that FIFA was negotiating with the teams to try to persuade them to stay.
"To date, neither FIFA nor the local organizing committee have ever discussed any such possibility of cancelling the FIFA Confederations Cup," FIFA said in a statement.
In a later statement it added: "FIFA in constant contact with all stakeholders, including teams. FIFA has not received any requests to leave Brazil, from any team.
"FIFA is in constant contact with local authorities. Have full trust in security arrangements and we'll continue to monitor situation. FIFA supports and acknowledges the right of free speech and to demonstrate peacefully and condemns any form of violence."
CBN radio and the website of the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper, both respected, Brazilian media, carried reports earlier yesterday speculating that the eight-team tournament, considered a dry run for next year's World Cup, was in danger.
"FIFA will claim compensation from Brazil if the Confederations Cup has to be suspended," said a headline on CBN's website.
An estimated one million people took to the streets in cities across Brazil on Thursday as the country's biggest protests in two decades intensified despite government concessions meant to quell them.
The protests, now in their second week, have been about high taxes, inflation, corruption and poor public services and have also targeted the US$26 billion of public money being spent on the World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.
A CBN report said one of the eight teams was pressuring its leaders to leave the Confederations Cup because it was worried about relatives who were in Brazil to watch the matches.
"On the legal side, there's a certain degree of confidence on FIFA's part that if the tournament is cancelled, it can launch a claim from the Brazilian government, if there are no safety guarantees for the competition or the World Cup," said the report by Juck Kfouri, a veteran journalist.
The Estado said that FIFA was negotiating with the teams to try to persuade them to stay.
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