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Strikes and anti-World Cup protests in Brazil


PMLF

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The situation is getting ugly in some of the host cities:

Anti-WC rallies in São Paulo: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27423404

Police goes on strike in Recife, people looting some places there and some people already killed: http://jconline.ne10.uol.com.br/canal/cidades/geral/noticia/2014/05/15/novos-saques-tumultos-e-mortes-sao-registrados-na-tarde-desta-quinta-no-grande-recife-128094.php

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Legislation won't prevent protests (look at Venezuela where their dictatorship crushes the protests that keep happening), it will just lead to them getting crushed and to people being arrested.

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Unfortunately, this was always on the cards. If it wasn't the world cup it was going to be the Olympics. I don't know what the Brazilian government were thinking when they decided to support the bids to host both the World Cup and Olympics within 2 years of one another, especially when they don't really have the infrastructure or money to undertake such projects.

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Unfortunately, this was always on the cards. If it wasn't the world cup it was going to be the Olympics. I don't know what the Brazilian government were thinking when they decided to support the bids to host both the World Cup and Olympics within 2 years of one another, especially when they don't really have the infrastructure or money to undertake such projects.

Back in 2007 or so when Brazil was awarded the World Cup, the situation was better, but the problem isn't lack of money, it's lack of organization and too much bureaucracy and corruption, while private initiative is not interested in investing (as it would be a waste of money).

In any case, Brazil should have never decided to host any of those events.

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Back in 2007 or so when Brazil was awarded the World Cup, the situation was better, but the problem isn't lack of money, it's lack of organization and too much bureaucracy and corruption, while private initiative is not interested in investing (as it would be a waste of money).

In any case, Brazil should have never decided to host any of those events.

Brazil may have been fine with one. Both of them right next to each other was always going to be disastrous.

Which was awarded first by the way? I'm not sure on timelines of the bids. I remember when England tried to get a world cup there was talk that it was too close to the Olympics and a doubt we'd be able to host both or something. Might just have been media talk though.

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In any case, Brazil should have never decided to host any of those events.

No country in any of the "civilized" world should in the current state of affairs, and hopefully Brazil 2014 will mark the advent of something special. It's a rotten game, everybody knows it; and whilst the current protests might mainly be connected to Brazil's difficult case in isolation, in the bigger picture the fact remains that this is a rotten game, and it will hopefully change, soon. Without anybody objecting, that is those that actually make it worth the effort, the watching public, it won't.

Then again the genius that is FIFA's Valcke has openly admitted anyway how it's harder to organize the Cup in bonafide democracies, so let's roll on Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and North Korea 2026 (:D).

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Brazil may have been fine with one. Both of them right next to each other was always going to be disastrous.

Which was awarded first by the way, not sure on timelines of the bids. I remember when England tried to get a world cup there was talk that it was too close to the Olympics and a doubt we'd be able to host both or something. Might just have been media talk though.

The World Cup was officially awarded in 2007 and the Olympics in 2009.

But it was clear Brazil would host the 2014 WC even before 2007 because of the rotation system employed by FIFA.

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No country in any of the "civilized" world should, and hopefully Brazil 2014 will mark the advent of something special. It's a rotten game, everybody knows it; and whilst the current protests might mainly be connected to Brazil's difficult case in isolation, in the bigger picture the fact remains that this is a rotten game, and it will hopefully change, soon. Without anybody objecting, that is those that actually make it worth the effort, the watching public, it won't.

Then again the genius that is FIFA's Valcke has openly admitted anyway how it's harder to organize the Cup in democracies, so let's roll on Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and North Korea 2026 (:D).

I am sure China will host eventually, looks like the perfect venue for FIFA, they are more efficient than most non-Democratic hosts and have plenty of money too.

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Because of the situation in Recife (police strike, looting), Sport-Bahia will now be played on June 4 and Náutico-Vasco on June 6.

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Despite the police strike in Recife, the authorities released 918 inmates (for a 35-day period) there because of some 'resocialization program'... :thdn::D

They should have at the very least postponed that until the police strike is over.

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What was the reason behind the police strike? It's not something that police in UK are allow to do, as far as I know.

They wanted a better salary, and some other stuff related to work safety bonus being incorporated into their salary, a better hospital for them, etc...

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Brazilian civil police likely to go on strike tomorrow, but maybe not a huge issue as most of the more serious security work is done by the military police.

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Read some teachers were protesting as well. Do you reckon it's quite likely we'll see fairly huge protests across Brazil during the WC? If the police/military are hardhanded, that could further antagonise the situation.

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The protests won't be as big as the Confederations Cup ones, but there should be a few, I think.

The protesters today blocked the national team bus and even kicked it.

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World Cup Local Organizing Committee director Joana Havelange said she won't protest against the WC and that 'What could have been stolen has been stolen already."

It's comments like this that makes people feel no sympathy for the World Cup here.

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World Cup Local Organizing Committee director Joana Havelange said she won't protest against the WC and that 'What could have been stolen has been stolen already."

It's comments like this that makes people feel no sympathy for the World Cup here.

Is she related to João Havelange? That could well explain things...
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Is she related to João Havelange? That could well explain things...

She is the daughter of Ricardo Teixeira (former Brazil FA president) and the granddaughter of João Havelange.

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Brazilian Ronaldo said that the police should beat up on vandals, and take them from the streets.

Ronaldo houses FIFA's own head honcho of propaganda during the cup, that is Blatter, for a reported fee of 600,000 Swiss francs (20minutes.ch).

You don't bite the Godfather that feeds you. :-D

(To his defense, he seems to support the protests, as long as they aren't forced and include violence).

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I don't think Ronaldo really supports or doesn't support anything, he usually just says what his bosses tell him to say.

Might well be. :D

I'd love to know what Sócrates would have said about all of this...

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Might well be. :D

I'd love to know what Sócrates would have said about all of this...

Sócrates used to criticize the 2014 World Cup when he was alive but he was hypocritical, he used to criticize Brazilian military dictatorship at same time he praised the Cuban dictatorship.

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Oh.... well.

Anybody seen this opinion piece on the Independent?

FIFA 14 is now Call Of Duty

[...]No one batted an eyelid on Friday night when, during the paternalistic burbling that passes as a Fifa presidential address, Sepp Blatter called for a suspension of global armed activity for the duration of a tournament in which 157,000 soldiers and FBI-trained riot police have been ordered to keep the peace.

They will be supported by Israeli-supplied drones, 48 aircraft, 20 warships and 60 fast-response vessels such as speed boats. Twelve military command centres have been set up across the country and 36 ground-to-air missile batteries, purchased from the German army, have been deployed. Fifa 14 has become a real-time version of Call of Duty.

[...]

Anyone who believes in natural justice must pray the masses pour on to the streets to amplify their disgust. Run the charlatans out of town. There is no better time, or place, to reclaim the game.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/michael-calvin-fifa-14-is-now-call-of-duty-9466364.html

Do it, please.

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The mistake is the last sentence, if people go to the streets, there is no chance it will be to 'reclaim the game', we have much bigger issues to worry about than that.

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Seen this PMLF? It's a documentary made by a Dane.

However, he appeared to get some criticism as well, in parts related to his discoveries of the "death squads" roaming the streets (talked about around the 13 minutes mark in the interview) and linking them to it all. Your thoughts? Does the film reflect reality or does it draw a one-sided picture for the sake of clicks and views.

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I haven't seen it yet, but I think he was opportunistic, used the whole story just to promote his documentary, never really intended to stay here.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Press is under-reporting protests but about 30+ or so people were detained on Thursday during some protests in Rio, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre.

And 23 people were detained yesterday after a group of protesters attempted to reach Salvador's fan fest.

Some protests happening today as well, 11 people detained in Belo Horizonte.

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I know the Brazilian people are moaning about the cost of this World Cup, but wouldnt the revenue from tourism make a profit anyway? Did for the Olympics in the UK

Not really and even if they do generate money, won't cover the 15 billion expense to host the World Cup.

Most of the tourists coming here barely spend much.

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I know the Brazilian people are moaning about the cost of this World Cup, but wouldnt the revenue from tourism make a profit anyway? Did for the Olympics in the UK

Not really. The Olympics is one city and relatively small infrastructure to maintain. They also resold most of the major things including the Stadium.

They had to basically renovate or build 12 stadia and improve the infrastructure in most if not all 12 cities for the world cup.

Add to that they are also doing the Olympics in 2 years and have to spend a bunch of money for that as well means that right now they are not the happiest.

Long term it might help, but not for a good while.

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Not really. The Olympics is one city and relatively small infrastructure to maintain. They also resold most of the major things including the Stadium.

They had to basically renovate or build 12 stadia and improve the infrastructure in most if not all 12 cities for the world cup.

Add to that they are also doing the Olympics in 2 years and have to spend a bunch of money for that as well means that right now they are not the happiest.

Long term it might help, but not for a good while.

Half of the stadiums will be white elephants after the World Cup and infrastructure has not been improved much, so apart from debts, the WC and the Olympics won't leave any legacies.

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Press is under-reporting protests but about 30+ or so people were detained on Thursday during some protests in Rio, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre.

And 23 people were detained yesterday after a group of protesters attempted to reach Salvador's fan fest.

Some protests happening today as well, 11 people detained in Belo Horizonte.

In Fortaleza, some protesters attempted to reach the fan fest too and the police stopped them.

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It's a shame all those protests are barely getting reported, I wonder if it's for political reasons too, since the government here is so hostile to any criticism (look at how they and their supporters reacted to Dilma getting booed).

There are protests scheduled to happen tomorrow before France's game.

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I know the Brazilian people are moaning about the cost of this World Cup, but wouldnt the revenue from tourism make a profit anyway? Did for the Olympics in the UK

London Olympics is an anomaly

Legacy and costs were put at the core of the London Games planning and construction and given the focus of the British Press on the issue, no politician was going to allow them to spiral.

The whole cost base of the bid was based on the anticipated economic boost from hosting with the aim of breaking even as this is the only way you could host the games in the Uk with public support

Nowhere else has really given a stuff about cost as it's all been about prestige and hang the expense, so games like Bejing, Soci and Athens have made massive losses

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I tuned in to watch a bit of the opening minutes of the Argentina match tonight, and after the national anthems were apparently cancelled for technical reasons, the German commentator was eager to point out that this would be a first in failure. As contrary to pre-tournament predictions, everything would be nice and cozy, with barely any protests or anything. Thanks for keeping us updated!

London Olympics is an anomaly

Legacy and costs were put at the core of the London Games planning and construction and given the focus of the British Press on the issue, no politician was going to allow them to spiral.

The whole cost base of the bid was based on the anticipated economic boost from hosting with the aim of breaking even as this is the only way you could host the games in the Uk with public support

Nowhere else has really given a stuff about cost as it's all been about prestige and hang the expense, so games like Bejing, Soci and Athens have made massive losses

Hosting such tournaments doesn't make you money http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/world-cup-financial-gains-rarely-materialize-for-host-1.2671024

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/11/sport/football/brazil-world-cup-benefits/

Plus event tourism drives normal Summer tourists away, which evens things out from the get-go. In Brazil the spiralling costs in parts due to widely spread corruption don't help either, plus Fifa's insistence on tax exemptions and much more. If Brazil is expensive, the WCs 2018 and 2022 will likely cost much more, but then they're meant as investment in propaganda for the corresponding regimes either way, with the WC in general being Fifa's very own tool of propaganda (Blatter is clever in that he knows the power of television: football doesn't have to be alright, it just needs to look that way on television, hence all the images send are chosen by Fifa itself, and frankly, occasionally during a Cup I sometimes wonder how many of the "genuine" fans shown close-up for atmospherics are actually genuine or extras to show off the goods, it's all meant to look picture perfect either way and Fifa choses what - or whom - you get to watch in either case)*. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/8749931/Qatar-World-Cup-in-2022-could-cost-138-billion-according-to-financial-analyst.html

* Technically, another lesson in Sports Politics: The images have been produced by a company called Host Broadcasting Services ever since 1998, the year Blatter was elected Fifa president. It is a daughter company of Infront, the Zurich based marketing outlet for sports rights -- and Infront's CEO is Phillippe Blatter. You might not have heard of Phillippe, but he has an uncle. His uncle is called Sepp. What happens in the family, stays in the family.

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Thanks. :-) MOre precisely though, it seems Phillippe has only been CEO since 2006ish... Infront has also some connections to ISL, the bust company that evidently bribed to aquire rights to the Olympics and WC. Also just seen an article dating back to 2011 on this: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/15497214

We could do with a more general thread about the "darker" or less bright sides of the Cup, me thinks. It seems many seats remain empty over various games, and various news have caught up on that, the Telegraph even referring to the "World Cup of empty seats".

[...]it may not be surprising that £110 tickets for Bosnia Herzegovina vs Iran in Salvador next week remain largely unsold.

Jesus.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/worldcup/world-cup-2014-fifa-under-pressure-over-world-cup-of-empty-seats-9539132.html

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Even Al Jazeera mentioned some issues in an article, although in general they are of course very muted on such affairs (though they don't really write much about sports in general).

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/06/brazil-world-cup-protests-gather-against-fifa-exclusion--201461413550951917.html

Seen this posted on Facebook today: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/05/brazil-evicted-won-celebrate-world-cup-201452012437552695.html

And also watched a video interview with Blatter that appeared fairly critical (you've GOT TO watch the expression on his face and the pause and his sudden switch to German "natürlich" (of course) when he is asked about how the "independent" ethics committee is being funded at around 7:20)

Awesome.

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Also, protest in Natal, some idiots burned an American flag allegedly because the Rio Grande do Norte government is spending too much with the USMNT security.

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