By Andrew Warshaw
September 24 – The head of the international players’ union FIFPro has threatened to get tough with FIFA unless it is consulted over a variety of concerns, not least the scheduling at next year’s World Cup in Brazil which, he says, could potentially endanger players’ health.
While all the emphasis over the last few months has been about the summer heat in Qatar in 2022, FIFPro secretary general Theo van Seggelen says greater focus should be placed on immediate concerns surrounding the 2014 competition.
“It astonishes me that the media is obsessed with Qatar in nine years’ time and does not seem very bothered about the World Cup in 2014,” Van Seggelen told Reuters.
With some matches in Brazil scheduled to kick off at 1300 local time, van Seggelen said this could pose serious problems at some venues.
Citing as an example this year’s Confederations Cup semi-final, he said: “I spoke to the Italian and Spanish players after the semi-final and they said it was impossible to play extra time in that heat, and that was a late afternoon kickoff.
“We have to realise that it’s not just the quality of the game that is affected, but the players’ health could be damaged.”
Unlike in Qatar, which will host games into a relatively small area, Brazil will involve massive distances and changes of temperature. “You have four-hour flights in some cases and when you have just played a tough game and only have a few days to recover, that also has an effect,” said van Seggelen.
Speaking after a meeting with FIFA president Sepp Blatter, the Dutchman said he would wait for a detailed report about the conditions before taking the matter up again. But he warned, without giving details, that his organisation would be taking a tougher stance with FIFA in the future.
“Unfortunately, we are going to have to start playing hardball, not because we want to but because we have no other choice.”
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