FIFA World Cup: In News For More Than Football
FIFA World Cup: In News For More Than Football
As subway workers suspended a strike that had previously crippled the traffic in Sao Paolo, yet warned of a possible resumption of the walkout soon, FIFA is facing the challenges of pulling off a World Soccer tournament without a hitch in Brazil's biggest city. Fans arriving in time for the football event met with traffic snarls and other delays as tear gas was lodged at the striking workers to disperse them. Union leaders and local authorities are all set for the renewal of negotiations.
The walk-out is just one of the challenges being faced by FIFA and the Brazil government as soccer fever rises in Sao Paolo. Brazil and Croatia are set for a face off, according to media reports and this too is surrounded by controversy as the new stadium is attracting its share of criticism. The giant traffic jams will be a source of unmitigated nightmare for fans as Sao Paolo will be hosting 5 matches following the opener and this includes a semi-final.
Brazil has also drawn criticism from domestic and international shores for not completing key infrastructure projects within the allocated time. Many are angry about the massive amounts of cash that has been spent and the projects have not neared completion. The firing of tear gas at metro workers in the Ana Rosa station was followed by strikes by teachers and bus drivers to demand more pay. Workers want a 12% pay rise well above the company's offer of 8.7%.
The city has become a battleground for political dissent and unease. Even as broken promises and the economic hurdles of constructing the World Cup stadiums are creating a problem for the organisers and the authorities. The Brazilian government has agreed for the building of housing units near the stadium as a concession. But the troubles for the FIFA organisers are far from over as a section of the monorail suffered from a collapse.
Global football legends may be headed to the FIFA World Cup Soccer but so were the striking workers and the threat of another strike hanging like a sword of Damocles over the heads of the authorities. FIFA commences with its 64th Congress with a corruption scandal surrounding the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. From the damaging strike at Sao Paolo to the hoopla surrounding the Qatar World Cup, officials are facing the pressure as the world watches.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is slated to arrive at the stadium with over 12 heads of states and governments while work on the 12 host stadiums has been overshadowed by accidents that have led to the demise of 8 workers. Construction delays, overinflated budgets and incomplete infrastructure are not the only problems. To add to FIFA's cup of woes, there is criticism that the $11 billion spent on the FIFA World Soccer Cup should have been allocated for improving healthcare, housing, transport and education facilities.
The decision to award the 2022 World Soccer Cup to Qatar has been met with criticisms from Coca Cola, Visa, Sony and Hyundai-5 of the biggest FIFA sponsors. Its a case of FIFA having to keep an eye on more than just the ball.
