Ricardo Teixeira. Photo Credit: Marcello Casal Jr/Agência Brasil under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Brazil license

Soccer News: Concerns Raised Over Brazil 2014 World Cup Preparations

FIFA is raising more concerns about the preparations in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup. In one of the latest related moves, as reported by Reuters, embattled head of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) Ricardo Teixeira has announced a month-long leave of absence from the Brazil Organizing Committee.

FIFA has named the members of its Independent Governance Committee that is charged with helping clean up the corruption-hit football governing body.

The representatives from the international football community and key figures from outside the sport were appointed by the chairman of the committee, Mark Pieth, the man spearheading FIFA's reforms process on behalf of its president Sepp Blatter.

The anti-corruption panel includes: U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati, an influential figure in the development of US soccer over the past 30 years; Leonardo Grosso, president of FIFPro, the global players' union; Lydia Nsekera, IOC member from Burundi, who has served as president of her country's football federation since 2004; and François Morinière, CEO of Groupe L’Équipe - Groupe Amaury, the market leaders in sport information.

Teixeira has been under suspicion of involvement in the FIFA-ISL scandal that has already led to the reprimanding of one International Olympic Committee member may have influenced the resignation of a second. In addition, there are worries about other elements of the World Cup preparations. The importance of Brazil’s readiness was underscored by a FIFA statement that “The matter has now become a personal dossier of the FIFA Presidency.”

Currently, one of FIFA’s greatest concerns centers on a so-called “World Cup bill” which would give the organization more control over elements of the World Cup. The Brazilian Congress has not yet passed this legislation, which FIFA maintains was agreed upon in 2007.

The bill would give FIFA control of prices and distribution of tickets, lift the ban of alcohol sales in stadiums, and institute FIFA rules on pirated goods, merchandising and street vendors. There are also problems with transportation among the various sites.

Members of FIFA have insisted that 2012 is important for the preparations for the World Cup. Secretary General Jerome Valcke stated that 2012 would be “a fundamental year for FIFA and Brazil in the operational preparation for the two major football tournaments – the Confederations Cup 2013 and the 2014 World Cup.” He also promised that he would “get a personal view on the status of preparations during my planned host city visits to take place every two months next year.”

On the positive side, Valcke said that there was progress at the individual host cities and that FIFA had developed a good working relationship with Aldo Rebelo, the new Brazil Sports Minister. Rebelo took over in November following the resignation of Orlando Silva, who was under investigation for alleged corruption.

In his column on FIFA.com, Valcke explained, “The key for success will be in continuing our open and constant dialogue between the Brazilian authorities led by sports minister Aldo Rebelo as the man in charge of the FIFA World Cup in government and FIFA in the spirit of respect and cooperation which characterises our relations now.”

One ongoing issue remains the ISL scandal that has touched a number of FIFA and IOC members. The Swiss marketing company collapsed in 2001, amid allegations of payoffs and kickbacks to top FIFA officials. In early December Teixeira named Brazilian star Ronaldo to the 2014 World Cup Organizing Committee. It had been rumored that Ronaldo would replace Teixeira, whose alleged involvement in the ISL scandal had led to criticism by Rebelo.

Former FIFA president João Havelange, resigned from his position with the IOC earlier this month for “health reasons.” Havelange had been under investigation by the IOC Ethics Commission for allegedly taking $1 million from ISL while with FIFA and was facing possible expulsion by the IOC. Also this month the IOC officially reprimanded Issa Hayatou, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for his alleged connections with ISL. A third IOC member, Lamine Diack, head of the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF), was given a strongly-worded warning for his involvement.

With all of the issues clamoring for attention, few doubt that Brazil will be prepared for the World Cup competition, even if just in time. What is less certain is how – or if – the ongoing questions of corruption and bribery will settled. For the good of the game, FIFA needs to take the allegations more seriously and complete a serious investigation. It remains to be seen if the newly appointed Independent Governance Committee will have the authority as well as the will to do what is needed to clean up FIFA’s house.

Related Article: FIFA Official Reprimanded by IOC