By David Gold
March 30 – Progress has been made in Brazil’s Congress on the controversial 2014 World Cup law, with the bill passing a crucial stage on the way to being formally approved by President Dilma Rousseff.
After agreement earlier this week was reached, a vote in Brazil’s Lower House of Parliament took place on the law and was passed.
It will now go forward to the Brazilian Senate, and if they approve the content of the bill, it will be passed to Rousseff for her signature.
“The Government’s sovereignty has never been in question…Brazil accepted the right to host this tournament,” the Government’s Congressional leader, Arlindo Chinaglia, said.
“Two or three hours in a stadium will not turn someone into an alcoholic.”
The law has been repeatedly delayed due to political wrangling over the content of the legislation.
FIFA required Brazil to commit to fulfil certain guarantees when it was awarded the World Cup, including allowing alcohol to be advertised and sold in stadia.
This met significant opposition in recent months, though it finally looks as though a resolution may be in sight.
The law passed this week does not explicitly authorise the sale of alcohol, but the Government insist they have fulfilled FIFA’s requirements elsewhere in the text.
The legislation could also mean that individual states must amend their own legislation to comply with FIFA requirements, with seven states having banned alcohol in stadia.
Aldo Rebelo, the Brazilian Sports Minister, insisted this week he expects the law to be finally passed by April.
Jose Sarney, the Senate’s President, added that the legislation is being made a priority because of its importance, according to Brazilian news website pernambuco.com.
The move comes in the same week that FIFA put its entire Executive Committee onto its World Cup Organising Committee to help preparations for the 2014 tournament, and is welcome news to world football’s governing body as concerns continue over Brazil’s ability to stage the event in two years’ time.
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