Brazil, FIFA resolve finance row over Socceroos' World Cup venue
Date
February 21, 2014
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Under construction: Beira Rio stadium, in Porto Alegre. Photo: AFP
An agreement had been reached in a finance dispute that had threatened another of the Socceroo's venues for the World Cup in Brazil, FIFA said on Thursday.
Football's governing body said the Rio Grande do Sul state government, the Porto Alegre council and local club Internacional had struck an agreement "to enable complementary structures required for the 2014 FIFA World Cup" at the Porto Alegre stadium that will host the Socceroos' group match against the Netherlands on June 18.
FIFA said the agreement comprises a bill permitting private funding "as well as the use of permanent infrastructure that can be reused based on public policies of the state and of the city."
The temporary structures include media facilities required for a major tournament.
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Internacional had argued it was not liable for the cost, saying it would derive no benefit from temporary structures to be taken down again in July.
Last week, club chairman GiovaMenni Luigi warned the Beira Rio stadium might be taken off the list of World Cup venues after saying it could not stump up the extra costs of 30 million reais ($13.4 million).
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was at the stadium Thursday with Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo to see the 50,000-capacity venue for herself, her office said in a statement to AFP.
The stadium is one of six which missed an initial FIFA deadline of December 31 owing to fatal accidents at three and unfinished work at the remainder.
On Tuesday, FIFA said it was dropping a threat to have the Curitiba venue axed after indicating it was satisfied that progress in recent weeks was sufficient.
Regarding Porto Alegre, Rousseffs office said that "the official reinauguration of the stadium will be in early April". The stadium will first host a regional league match next Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a 170,000-strong security contingent will ensure peace and order at the World Cup games in Brazil, organisers said on Thursday.
"A total of 150,000 public security professionals and military will ensure World Cup security," said Andrei Rodrigues, Brazil's national secretary for major events.
To that force will be added 20,000 private security personnel, he added, as a country hit in recent months by protests over poor public services and the cost of hosting the event leaves nothing to chance.
After demonstrations over the multi-billion dollar cost of staging the tournament as well as the 2016 Rio Olympics, authorities stressed they will do everything in their power to ensure it goes smoothly.
FIFA director of security Ralf Mutschke indicated he was confident in Brazil's ability to host a safe tournament.
"We are convinced a safe World Cup will be delivered in Brazil," Mutschke told a news conference.
"The teams have great faith in the level of security going to be provided," Mutschke added, as a two-day logistics workshop attended by the coaches of 25 of the 32 competing teams drew to a close.
Thursday's security meeting in the southern city of Florianopolis saw defence and justice ministry officials join FIFA's security spokesman to lay out the parameters of the event's "security matrix."
Mindful of how authorities were caught out by protests that drew more than a million people during last June's Confederations Cup warm-up event, Brazil will deploy the army to counter major disruption.
President Dilma Rousseff said Wednesday troops would be mobilised "if necessary" to ensure fan security at the June 12-July 13 World Cup.
"Armed forces shall be called on if needed to guarantee law and order," said army General Jamil Meyid Junior.
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/brazil-fifa-resolve-finance-row-over-socceroos-world-cup-venue-20140221-335g5.html#ixzz2u8ULthz1