June 7 – Bruised and battered by a combination of the Covid crisis and political unrest, the Copa America has suffered another blow with Brazil’s star players lambasting the hosting of the tournament that starts June 13.
Awarded to Brazil after Argentina and Colombia were ditched as co-hosts, the competition, already postponed from 2020, has been kicked from pillar to post as Conmebol tries to find a way of pressing ahead with its showpiece event.
Brazil coach Tite says the players had spoken to federation president Rogério Caboclo (who has since been suspended over unrelatedallegations of sexual harassment and bullying) and that they would “expose their opinion to the public at the appropriate time.”
Brazil, who open their account against Venezuela in Brasilia, was unexpectedly chosen to step in after Argentina was dropped because of the spread of Covid-19 and Colombia was removed because of violent street protests against President Iván Duque.
Multiple news reports say the players are upset at not being consulted about their country hosting the event.
“Everyone knows what our position is regarding the Copa America,” skipper Carlos Casemiro said after Brazil beat Ecuador 2-0 in a World Cup qualifying game in Porto Alegre on Friday. “It’s impossible to be clearer.”
As of June 5, Brazil has reported just under 17 million coronavirus cases, the third highest toll in the world, and more than 470,000 deaths, second only to the United States. Only 10% of the population has been fully vaccinated.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has defied social distancing policies, saying lockdown measures kill more than the virus.
“There’s a lot of people dying and something must be done. For us players it is hard to go to a hotel because people with the virus could give it to us and then we can infect the whole squad,” Casemiro added, without clarifiying whether he and his team-mates will play.
“It’s not just me, not just the players who play in Europe. It’s everyone, including Tite. All together,” said the Real Madrid defender.
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