By Andrew Warshaw
July 1 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter insists the Confederations Cup, which concluded on Sunday with Brazil’s resounding 3-0 win over Spain, rose above the mass street protests that co-incided with the tournament.
Hundreds of thousands of Brazilian citizens demonstrated during the World Cup warm-up tournament demanding better social services and an end to corruption.
But with television audiences around the world watching the Confederations Cup in record numbers despite the unrest, Blatter remained upbeat.
“FIFA has come out of this stronger,” he said. “Football has played a positive part here and given emotion. When we say football connects people, it connected people in the stadium, perhaps unfortunately it connected people in the street. I can understand this social unrest, absolutely, but on the other hand, football brings at this time to the whole continent these emotions and hope.”
Protestors had questioned why the country is investing $12.6 billion in infrastructure for the Confederations Cup and next year’s World Cup when social programmes such as education and health are underfunded.
But Blatter was determined to focus on the sell-out crowds rather than the wave of unrest. “When we have a look on the pitch of football, it was easy to say that it was the best Confederations Cup that we have ever organised,” he told a press conference in Rio de Janeiro.
“The tournament was played in a situation where there was definitely social unrest, with protests and manifestations but …definitely football is going out from this competition with a clear message: it was a good competition, and we are happy to be back here next year in the FIFA World Cup with the 32 teams and 64 matches.”
“The aim of FIFA is not to take profit out of the country but to put into the country the necessary help and means to make sure this World Cup is a success. The World Cup provides practically 90% of the income of FIFA to ensure we can develop the game around the world.”
Blatter is due to hold a final wrap-up Confederations Cup press conference later today, accompanied by the President of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the World Cup, José Maria Marin; FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke; LOC CEO Ricardo Trade; deputy sports minister Luis Fernandes; and former Brazilian icon Ronaldo, now an LOC Member of the Board of Administration.
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