Valcke expects 'quiet' World Cup despite protests
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, February 19, 2014
FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke expressed confidence yesterday that Brazil's continuing violent demonstrations won't impact the World Cup, but added he counts on police to keep protesters seeking to disrupt the tournament at bay.
Anti-government protests hit a fever pitch last June during the Confederations Cup, with around a million people pouring into the streets on a single night demanding better schools, hospitals and an end to corruption, along with bitter complaints about the billions of dollars being spent to host the World Cup. A TV cameraman was recently killed while covering a protest in Rio after being hit in the head with a flare allegedly fired by a protester.
Despite the continuing incidents, Valcke said he's not worried that football's premier event will hit any stumbles, telling reporters that "we are expecting a quiet World Cup and we are expecting that whoever wants to be at the World Cup will have the right to do so."
No matches were delayed during last year's Confederations Cup, although protests raged near the stadiums on several occasions.
More demonstrations are certain during this year's World Cup, yet Valcke insists that the tournament's importance will outshine protests.
"We are sure that the World Cup is too big an event for any country around the world not to support its organization," Valcke said. "I'm not saying to support FIFA, that's not the point, (but) to support the organization of these games in a country in 12 host cities. You can have pacific demonstrations, it's a right in any democracy around the world," he said.
Valcke also went to the southern city of Porto Alegre, where the president of the Brazilian club in charge of the Beira-Rio stadium said there was a risk the venue would be unavailable for the World Cup because of a dispute over who will pay for the temporary facilities required by FIFA outside the venues.
Valcke met with local officials and said they made a commitment to find a solution by Thursday. "FIFA and the LOC (local organizing committee) would like to reiterate that this is not a question of Porto Alegre being, or not being part of the 2014 FIFA World Cup," FIFA said in a statement.
"The stadium is ready to host normal football matches. The challenge is the transformation of the arena to be able to host FIFA World Cup matches. All parties are committed and working hard to find a solution for the issue of the complementary structures."
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