By Andrew Warshaw
May 21 – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff staged a bullish defence of her country’s preparations for the forthcoming Confederations Cup when she officially inaugurated the last of six stadiums being used for the World Cup warm-up event.
“The pessimists said the stadiums would not be ready in time, but we are showing them today that we can deliver high-quality stadiums,” Rousseff said in a speech in Recife before opening the 46,000-seat Arena Pernambuco outside the northeastern Brazilian city.
Despite FIFA’s growing concern over the slow pace of stadium and transport infrastructure, Rousseff insisted Brazil is fulfilling its commitments.
On Saturday, she kicked the first symbolic ball on the newly-laid pitch at the new Mane Garrincha National Stadium in Brasilia, where Brazil take on Japan in the first game of the eight-nation Confederations Cup on June 15. The stadium is costing 1.2 billion reais ($590 million), the most expensive of all new grounds being built, in a city where there is no major club. According to reports, some of its 309 toilets flooded during a test game between two local teams.
Only two stadiums were completed in time for the December deadline originally set by FIFA, which was then extended. In Sao Paulo, where the World Cup is due to kick off in June next year, builders threatened to go on strike over a pay dispute.
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