{"id":5543,"date":"2013-06-26T06:26:22","date_gmt":"2013-06-26T06:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigeria-news\/world-cup-fifa-brazil-govt-hit-back-at-critics\/"},"modified":"2013-06-26T06:26:22","modified_gmt":"2013-06-26T06:26:22","slug":"world-cup-fifa-brazil-govt-hit-back-at-critics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/world-cup-fifa-brazil-govt-hit-back-at-critics\/","title":{"rendered":"World Cup: FIFA, Brazil Govt Hit Back At Critics"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FIFA and the Brazilian government dismissed suggestions Monday that next year\u2019s World Cup will be staged at the cost of health and education as they hit back at criticism at the cost of the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of the money earmarked for health and education has been diverted to the building of World Cup stadiums,\u201d Brazil\u2019s Sports Minister, Aldo Rebelo has said.<\/p>\n

FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valcke added: \u201cFIFA is not making four billion reais ($ 1.77 billion) to run away in a big Mercedes Benz, \u2018we are using our money to develop football and we are one of the most transparent sporting organisations in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

A wave of nationwide protests have alarmed organisers of the Confederations Cup, a dry run for next year\u2019s event which is currently taking place in Brazil and features world champions Spain, Uruguay, Italy and Mexico among the eight teams.<\/p>\n

The protests, sparked by a rise in public transport fares, have been about the dismal state of public services, high taxes and corruption. Some have been dispersed by police firing tear gas and rubber bullets in what many feel have been a disproportionate response.<\/p>\n

Demonstrators are also angry at the amount of public money spent on the 12 World Cup stadiums, especially after guarantees in 2007 that they would be privately financed.<\/p>\n

Former Brazil forward, Romario, now a Congressman, has been among the most vocal, high profile critics, complaining that FIFA set up a \u201cstate within a state\u201d and is the \u201creal president\u201d of the country.<\/p>\n

Both FIFA and Brazilian officials were at pains to point out that the World Cup generated jobs and investments in infrastructure.<\/p>\n

Romario said the government\u2019s budget for health and education this year was 177 billion reais.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sports ministry\u2019s budget is one percent of that and includes money spent on the World Cup,\u201d he said, adding that 24,500 direct jobs been created in Brazil at the six Confederations Cup stadiums including construction, engineering, telecommunications.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deputy Sports Minister Luis Fernandes said the staging of the World Cup had brought forward the building of new infrastructure which was needed in any case.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe World Cup and Confederations Cup represent an historic opportunity to promote the development of the country,\u201d he said. \u201cIt has brought forward investments which would have to have been made regardless of the World Cup and the Confederations Cup.<\/p>\n

Valcke then spoke about FIFA, which in Brazil is seen as milking the profits from the World Cup without investing anything itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople think we come in, we enjoy the country and run away, without paying tax or creating anything,\u201d said Valcke.<\/p>\n

But he said FIFA would have costs of around 1.5 billion reais to host the event, including accommodation for all the 32 participating teams.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not ashamed of what we\u2019re doing, we\u2019re doing good things for Brazil,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Valcke said that FIFA was a \u201cnon-profit\u201d organization which ploughed money back into the development of football worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have 20 competitions in a four-year cycle and the World Cup is the only one of them which make money,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have duties, responsibilities, programmes we are supporting.\u201d<\/p>\n

FIFA\u2019s head of communications Walter de Gregorio said the protests had put soccer\u2019s governing body in a difficult situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we don\u2019t say anything, we are criticized for being only interested in football. If we make any comments, we are criticized because it\u2019s seen as interference of the situation in Brazil,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe perception abroad is the country is under fire and there is a civil war, this is not the case.\u201d<\/p>\n

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