By Andrew Warshaw
October 26 – FIFA will allow Brazilians over 65 to attend matches at the 2014 World Cup for half price to comply with Government legislation, according to the organisation’s general secretary Jérôme Valcke.
FIFA have been locked in negotiations with the Brazilian authorities over various organisational disagreements but the latest concession appears to clear one vital obstacle.
Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff held talks with Valcke during her visit to Europe this month and, according to press reports, told him the country could not accept full-price tickets for pensioners under Brazilian law.
“We won’t say that we are above laws and regulations,” Valcke was quoted as saying.
“When President Rousseff says there is a law to protect people over 65 years old, I say to her we don’t want this changed.”
But FIFA is worried that any concession over tickets could open the floodgates, with a spate of other groups asking for the same right.
“We want to be certain that we don’t have lots of different communities having access to half-price tickets, whether they are blood donors, students, ex-players and so on,” said Valcke.
Former Brazilian international Romário (pictured), who is now a federal congressman, says FIFA must not be allowed to dictate changes to Brazilian law just for the sake of World Cup profits.
Valcke is due to visit Brazil again next week to continue talks and plans to be back in November with FIFA President Sepp Blatter to “finalise everything”.
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