By David Gold
March 21 – The Brazilian Government has taken another step towards passing the 2014 World Cup bill after meeting with the opposition in the country’s Congress, though it still faces hurdles before it becomes law.
The World Cup law has gone through months of wrangling, mostly over the sale of alcohol in stadiums, which is currently banned in Brazil.
This runs contrary to the agreement Brazil signed when it won the right to host the World Cup.
FIFA wants its commercial partners, including beer giant Budweiser, protected by the World Cup law.
Reuters have reported that the law will now only suspend the legislation banning the sale of alcohol in stadia.
The move could place the onus on individual states to amend legislation to allow alcohol in venues.
Seven states are said to have laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol, and Brazilian Congress deputy Vicente Cândido (pictured), who has written the World Cup law, said this meant FIFA would have to negotiate with them individually.
Conversely, Brazil’s Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo said that the text of the law would satisfy FIFA requirements, according to O Globo.
It also appears that the World Cup law’s fate has become intertwined with that of another piece of legislation – a Forest Code – on which an agreement is necessary first.
The Forest Code stipulates how much of Brazil’s natural forests must be preserved, even if they are on privately owned land.
Environmentalists have been actively campaigning against proposed changes to the code which would ease farming restrictions, and critics fear this will lead to an acceleration in deforestation of the famous Amazon Rainforest.
Marco Maia, the leader of Brazil’s Lower Congressional Chamber, said: “It’s okay to vote on the general law of the tournament…but we still have problems for the vote on the new Forest Code.
“Without a vote on the date of the Forest Code is difficult to advance in any other matter here in the House.”
He added that it may be April until that issue is resolved.
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