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2014 World Cup

2014 World Cup62 posts
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Jun 2012

Rousseff signs ‘beer law’

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FIFA_beer_law_ValckePresident Dilma Rousseff signs a law allows sales of beer at soccer matches. The law covering the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup removes a ban on alcohol in stadiums that has been in place since 2003 to combat hooliganism, although state governors may still enforce the ban based on state legislation. Budweiser is a major World Cup sponsor. FIFA Vice President Jerome Valcke on a visit to the tournament host cities:

Alcoholic drinks are part of the Fifa World Cup, so we’re going to have them. Excuse me if I sound a bit arrogant but that’s something we won’t negotiate. The fact that we have the right to sell beer has to be a part of the law.

Jun 2013

Copyright infringements higher

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FIFA_ambush_marketing_2010FIFA finds more instances of copyright infringement related to the 2014 World Cup than it did a year ahead of the 2010 tournament. It says it has taken action against around 100 companies that don’t have permission to use the protected phrases. Most of the cases involve small local companies misunderstanding the rules of trademark use, and don’t require legal action.

A marketing official says FIFA and the local organizing committee have a responsibility to protect the sponsorship rights sold to 20 companies whose combined involvement is $1.4 billion in cash payments and services, such as Coca Cola, which is providing 5 million beverages, and Hyundai, which will deliver 1,400 vehicles to transport officials and teams in the 12 host cities.

Feb 2014

Jiu jitsu squad patrols Sao Paulo

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FIFA_tropa_do_bracoPolice in Sao Paulo deploy unarmed officers with three months of training in Brazilian jiu jitsu to patrol the city ahead of the 2014 World Cup. 140 officers of the ‘Tropa do Braço,’ or ‘Troop of Arms,’ patrol a 1,500-strong protest that ends in clashes resulting in 282 arrests. The tactic is inspired by French police, who confronted violent protests in Paris in 2005. According to a military police captain:

We want to use less aggressive resources. We hope that physical force alone contains the most agitated protesters.

8 Jun, 2014

John Oliver: FIFA pressured Brazil into allowing beer

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John Oliver says on Last Week Tonight that FIFA pressured Brazil into allowing a ban on alcohol sales in soccer stadiums to be lifted during the 2014 World Cup, despite the ban being imposed to curb Brazil’s record of stadium violence, which is the worst in the world.

The amazing thing is here FIFA won. They successfully pressured Brazil into passing a so-called Budweiser bill, allowing beer sales in soccer stadiums. And at this point you can either be horrified by that or relieved that FIFA was not also sponsored by cocaine and chainsaws.

FIFA and the World Cup: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

15 Jun, 2014

Fans invade first Maracana game in 64 years

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A group of about 20 fans invade the Maracana ahead of the Argentina-Bosnia game, the first World Cup match to be held at the stadium since the 1950 final between Brazil and Uruguay. Military police estimate around 2,000 Argentina fans are outside the stadium, where scalpers are selling tickets for around $670. Private security guards fail to prevent intruders entering the stadium after pushing and shoving breaks out.

18 Jun, 2014

Second Maracana invasion

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The Maracana is invadedchile-fans-invade-maracana-00000329-story-top for a second time ahead of the Chile-Spain match. Around 100 supporters, most of them wearing the red of the Chilean national team, breach security barriers and infiltrate an X-Ray zone where media enter the stadium. The fans run past the escalators that lead to the seats and damage the media center, smashing a glass door and knocking over two partition walls and three television sets. A fan sought gaps in security after coming to the match prepared to pay $800 for a black-market ticket and finding the cheapest available is $1,500:

I saw both goals. The crowd was fantastic. I travelled 7000 km by car. I left Santiago and came to Rio de Janeiro because of this Cup. There was no way I was going to miss the game against Spain.

Spain loses first two group games

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Spain is the first ever World Cup holder to lose its first two group games and the fifth to exit at the group stage, after Chile defeat La Furia Roja 2-0 with goals from Eduardo Vargas and Charles Aranguiz to send Vicente Del Bosque’s side home. Spain join Brazil in the 1966 tournament, France in 2002 and Italy in 1950 and again in 2010 as titleholders who failed to reach the knockout stage.

20 Jun, 2014

Court orders cooling breaks

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A labor court orders that 2014 World Cup players be given cooling breaks after 30 minutes in each 45-minute half of a soccer match when ambient temperature – which takes into account humidity, wind and actual temperature – exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius). FIFA faces a fine of 200,000 Brazilian reais (about $90,000) for every match where there is no break. FIFA says that if the ambient temperature rises above 32 degrees, the match medical officer will recommend three-minute cooling breaks in each half, but that the decision to apply them rests with the referee.

England fans attacked

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England fans are attacked by hooligans believed to be Corinthians Organizado members. A firecracker is thrown at fans near the Fifa Fan Fest in the downtown district of Anhangabaú Valley, and the perpetrators attempt to escape by bus. Police arrest 15 people in connection with the attack and seize rockets, a dagger, knuckledusters and fireworks, but they are later released without giving a statement.

Jun 2014

Traditional food sold in stadiums

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FIFA_traditional_food2014 World Cup organizers allow six vendors to sell acarajé, a deep-fried mixture of black-eyed peas, shrimp, cashew paste and pepper sauce to be sold in the Arena Fonte Nova stadium in Salvador city following a successful campaign by a vendor association against provisions in the FIFA World Cup Law, which covers the World Cup and 2013 Confederations Cup, that exclude traditional sellers and allow only licensed products from tournament sponsors to be sold within a mile of stadiums. Eight tapioca sellers are also allowed to operate inside the Arena Pernambucano stadium in Recife city and a restaurateur will offer a local version of fish and chips made with the Amazonian tambaqui river fish in the jungle city of Manaus. Association of Bahian Acarajé Sellers coordinator Rita Maria Ventura dos Santos:

It would have meant that baianas who had earned their livelihoods there for 60 years would have been forced out.

Three beer maximum

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Sales of beer at 2014 World Cup stadiums are being limited to a maximum of three glasses for men and two for women to control drunkenness and violent or rowdy behavior. A 473-ml glass of beer is sold at R$10-13 depending on the brand, while alcohol-free beer costs R$6 a cup. An official from FIFA partner Ambev, which is organizing training for tournament suppliers:

We’re not interested in making a profit from the illicit consumption of alcoholic beverages. Salespeople have been told and trained to offer alternatives to those who appear drunk already, such as non-alcoholic beer, water or food

A bar manager at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo:

I think high-spirited fans like the ‘barra bravas’ from Argentina will take a bit of work and control. But drunk is drunk and we won’t allow anyone to go to excess with their drinking, whatever the nationality.

An organizing committee spokesperson:

If the seller sees people are drunk, then they cannot sell them any more beer or anything alcoholic at all. There are very strict laws on drinking in Brazil, that also applies to drink driving for example. There are police officers who carry equipment to do regular checks on alcohol in breath. It is very tough here

Alzirão street party continues despite FIFA clash

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The Alzirão street party in Rio de Janeiro will continue despite opposition from 2014 World Cup organizer FIFA and issues over sponsorship. The streetfest, which started on a street corner in 1978 with a single 20-inch television and now gathers 25,000 people for matches in a suburb near the Maracanã stadium, offers big screens and a sound system, decorations, bars and sponsors, similar to FIFA’s official Fan Fest events in each city including on Copacabana beach in Rio, but fans can bring their own beer.

FIFA initially asks for 28,000 reais ($12,500) for broadcast rights, and Alzirão is also limited to one sponsor organization, beer company Brahma. Organizers say it ‘felt like they were trying to shut us down,’ but Rio mayor Eduardo Mayor Paes steps in to keep the event running. An Alzirão organizer:

Alzirão is a tradition that has not been broken in 36 years, not even in 2002, when the matches were at dawn. And with the World Cup in Brazil this year, we were never going to break it now

Mayor Paes:

The more Alzirões that arise around the city, the better. The joy of Rio’s people will not be restricted because of the World Cup

Half time at the Alzirao

Darth Vader police masks

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FIFA_Darth_Vader_masksAnti-riot police in the 12 Brazilian states hosting the 2014 World Cup will wear masks inspired by Star Wars villain Darth Vader at demonstrations by the Black Bloc protest group. Designed to protect against gas attacks, the masks can withstand high temperatures and have a visor that does not fog up. They have a voice amplifier and a tube through which the officers can sip water and use an air filter that can be linked to an external oxygen tube. A commercial analyst at  Welster Itage, the company importing the masks from the U.S. where they are manufactured with the cooperation of the U.S. government, says it will deliver 5,200 masks before the tournament:

The aim is to cause a psychological effect in the demonstrators or in other citizens

‘Robocop’ police suits

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FIFA_robocopPolice in Rio de Janeiro will wear will wear protective equipment similar to the film Robocop to conduct security for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. 200 sets of the 22-lb armor have been sent to the Major Events Police Battalion (BPGE), a branch of the military police formed in January in response to demonstrations during the 2013 Confederations Cup. The suits are flame resistant to up to 427C and include a helmet and vest that protects the back, chest and shoulders, and space for a pistol, stun gun, handcuffs, baton and gun loader. Unit commander Wagner Villares:

The plastic uniform is resistant to knocks and blows. Underneath the plastic that covers the back and the chest, there is another protective layer that absorbs and spreads the force of a blow

Rio state secretary for security Jose Mariano Beltrame:

[There is a] need to give the military police specialised, efficient and intelligent instruments for patrolling, aimed at the preservation of public order in public places where there is the presence of a crowd of people gathered together.

Google blocks FIFA ad keywords

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Google won’t show ads related to around 200 phrases trademarked by FIFA related to the 2014 World Cup and including ‘FIFA,’ ‘Copa 2014,’ ‘Brazil 2014’ and ‘Brasil 2014,’ as well as the less common ‘pagode,’ a type of samba dance, and ‘Natal 2014,’ the name of a host city which translates to ‘Christmas 2014.’ The trademarks prevent Google from showing ads related to the terms. Typing one of the phrases into Google brings up a ‘OneBox’ showing upcoming matches, a rundown of the team groups, a game bracket, and a link to FIFA.com.

FIFA to pay members $200 million

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FIFA will pay out $200 million to its member organizations of 2014 World Cup revenue estimated at $4.5 billion. The governing body is set to pay $250,000 in June 2014 to each of its 209 member countries and $2.5 million to the six continental bodies. National members will receive a further $500,000 in 2015 and confederation members $4.5 million more. The planned bonuses are $200,000 higher than payments made after the 2010 World Cup when each FIFA member got a total of $550,000 and the six confederations each received $5 million. FIFA had budgeted to earn $3.8 billion for the four-year commercial cycle tied to the 2014 World Cup. It expects $5 billion revenue in the cycle leading to the 2018 World Cup, $2.7 billion from broadcasting rights sales and $2.3 billion from sponsors and licensing. Expenditures are expected at $4.9 billion with $100 million to be added to reserves, currently at $1.4 billion.

22 Jun, 2014

Equals Ronaldo record

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Klose becomes joint World Cup top scorer alongside Brazilian Ronaldo on 15 goals. The 36-year-old striker equalizes with his first touch after coming on as a second-half substitute to earn Germany a 2-2 draw against Ghana, after Die Mannschaft take an early lead through Mario Gotze only to be pegged back by Andre Ayew and Asamoah Gyan.

24 Jun, 2014

More viewers than World Series

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The U.S.-Portugal FIFA_us-portugal-viewingmatch attracts 18.2 million viewers on ESPN, fewer than many regular-season NFL games and the Super Bowl but more than the 15.5 million average for the 2014 NBA Finals and 14.9 million who tuned in to the 2013 World Series. The U.S. lead 2-1 at the end of 90 minutes thanks to a Jermaine Jones opener and a late Clint Dempsey strike, but Portugal equalize in stoppage time. The previous record in the U.S. for viewership of a soccer match is 17.9 million in 1999 for ABC’s broadcast of the Women’s World Cup final.

25 Jun, 2014

FIFA investigates Suarez bite

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FIFA opens disciplinary action against a member of the Uruguay team, who is accused of biting a member of the Italian team during the game that took place on June 24, 2014.  The Mexican referee did not see the incident and did not take action against Suarez.  Suarez has been suspended on two previous occasions for biting an opponent, once in Netherlands and once in England. Suarez and the the Uruguayan soccer federation have until 5:00 pm on June 25, 2014 to respond to the latest charges. Suarez commented:

These are things that happen on the pitch, we were both in the area, he thrust his shoulder into me,” Suarez said in Spanish. “These things happen on the pitch, and we don’t have to give them so much (importance).