June 3 – Conmebol president Alexandre Dominguez (pictured) has defended the ruling body’s last-minute and controversial decision to shift the Copa America from both Argentina and Colombia to Brazil following criticism from the international players’ union FIFPro.
Dominguez said that FIFpro should have done its homework before criticising his organisation’s decision, which was the subject of widespread criticism given the dramatic Covid-19 crisis in new host nation Brazil.
FIFPro said it had “serious concerns” about the relocation and warned the decision “could have serious implications for the health of the professional footballers, staff and general public,” but Dominguez labelled the criticism “unjust and discriminatory.”
But Conmebol and Dominguez didn’t stop just there in an assertive letter. “We consider it a lack of respect that FIFPro has not even taken the time to consult the protocols, statistics and considerations, and yet still puts out statements with no base in data or easily obtainable, objective information,” wrote Conmebol.
“We understand that FIFPRO, with their offices in the Netherlands, must have little knowledge of behaviour in the region.”
Both Argentina and Colombia were stripped of the hosting rights for tournament only for Brazil and its president Jair Bolsonaro to step in at the eleventh hour.
Brazil is one of the epicenters of the global health crisis, but has confirmed that matches will be staged behind closed doors in four host cities at five venues. Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Cuiaba and Goiania will welcome the tournament, with the Maracana scheduled to host the final. All players will be inoculated well ahead of the tournament.
But even so, public health concerns have continued to dominate the agenda. Bolsonaro is a notorious covid-19 denier and his policies have led to a catastrophic death toll in South America’s largest country, with more than 460,000 Brazilians having died from the coronavirus.
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