Black Eyed Peas Not Allowed At World Cup!!

Yes, it's a play on words, but is absolutely true. From the story below, you can see just how much money comes into play in the World Cup as traditional Brazilian fare won't even be allowed to share a stage with the far more common place McDonald's ... a key sponsor of FIFA.

I would think that FIFA would be generous enough to have an "appropriate amount" of local vendors serving local foodstuffs. Heck, this is part of the reason some travel to the World Cup in different countries, to experience things just like this ... not something they can get around the corner.

FIFA urged to allow Brazilian food at Cup

SAO PAULO: FIFA is under pressure to allow sales of a native Brazilian sandwich in stadiums at the 2014 World Cup amid allegations that the governing body is bowing to corporate sponsors such as McDonald’s.

The row centers on acaraje, an iconic black-eyed pea fritter from the northeastern state of Bahia, and a FIFA regulation that bars street vendors within a two-kilometer (1.2 mile) radius of World Cup venues.

A petition circulated by the Association of Bahian female acaraje vendors (ABAM) is demanding that FIFA guarantees space inside stadiums for its members. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of The Peninsula.

US Referees In Contention for 2014

Jair Marrufo, Mark Geiger Among Referee Prospects for 2014 FIFA World Cup

As countries spend the next year solidifying their place through qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, referees from around the world also are continuing to stamp their presence for consideration at the global spectacle.

Among the group of prospects are Jair Marrufo and Mark Geiger, who were among 52 referees to take part in a seminar in late September in Zurich as part of a provisional “open list” of referee prospects for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. ...

See the whole story here, from US Soccer.

Kicking Back Comments: While 2010 wasn't Jair's year for a variety of reasons, I look forward to seeing both of these guys go to Brazil in 2014. Both are exceptional officials.

I only hope the stadiums will be complete for them.

Late Again ...

FIFA notes delays in World Cup preparations

RIO DE JANEIRO — FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke on Tuesday highlighted major delays in preparing six Brazilian stadiums for next year's Confederations Cup, a dress rehearsal event for the 2014 World Cup.

"At this time we are not in a position to have six stadiums ready for the Confederations Cup. What I can say is that we have less (than six)," he said in Belo Horizonte, one of the cities that will host the 2013 event. ...

See the whole story here, from the AP.

Kicking Back Comments: The above quote is hilarious. "... we will have less (than six)."

As is zero? Zero is still less than six, right?

Hang on tight for this photo finish.

Elite referees meet in Zurich

Elite referees meet in Zurich

Potential referees for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ are meeting for the first time in Zurich this week, with 52 people hailing from 46 different countries taking part in an initial referee workshop being held from 24-28 September. Having undergone medical tests over the past few days, the 52 candidates were officially welcomed by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter on Monday morning.

"I would like to congratulate you for being selected for this trip to the World Cup at Brazil 2014," said Blatter. "The preparations ahead of the tournament are incredibly important. You will form my team, which will be the 33rd team at the World Cup and one of the most important." ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of FIFA.

Kicking Back Comments: Big kudos to FIFA here. Getting these folks together early and often will lead to very homogenized refereeing at the 2014 World Cup, which is what everyone is after. 

A Freaking Armadillo?

Armadillo to be 2014 FIFA World Cup mascot

Rio de Janeiro: A rare species of armadillo is set to be the official mascot for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

World football’s governing body FIFA registered a patent for the mascot on the European Union’s trademark website OHIM Tuesday, just days after the design was shown on Brazilian TV show Fantastico, reports Xinhua. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of FirstPost.

Kicking Back Comments: What a horrible choice for a mascot! There could have been so many more creative picks. I think they make it worse by allowing the name of the horrible choice to be picked via internet poll. Surely nothing can go wrong there.

Other than the animal being able to roll itself into a quasi-spherical shape, where is the tie in?

I am a way bigger fan of Jaunito or Tip and Tap from the 1970 and 1974 World Cups respectively. Even Pique was pretty good, but would likely never pass today's PC standards.

I think it was the US who took it off the rails with Striker, the World Cup pup, after that it has been all animals, all the time. See a history here of the World Cup mascots.

I wait with anticipation what the World decides the armadillo's name to be.

Any guesses? Post them below.

Match fixing and flares ... all in a days work

FIFA's Director of Security Mutschke "Our objective is long-term success"

With Ralf Mutschke less than a month into his new role as FIFA's Director of Security,FIFA.com spoke to the former INTERPOL director about the diverse range of tasks he now faces.

FIFA.com: This week you're flying to Brazil, hosts of the next FIFA World Cup™. What are you expecting from your first visit to the country?

Ralf Mutschke: The World Cup is one of the main topics I'm dealing with. That's why I'm happy to be going to Brazil for the first time next week with FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke. I'll meet our partners over there in order to establish an integrated security plan together. A lot of progress has already been made on that front and we need to put it into practice. But it's difficult because there are so many organisations responsible for security in Brazil. The national government, the host cities and regions, the Local Organising Committee (LOC), a special security taskforce (SESGE), the various state security authorities, the military and even private security firms are involved and we need to coordinate them all. That will keep me very busy. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of boxscorenews.com.

Kicking Back Comments: Now there is one person's job at FIFA that I would not want. Talk about "boiling the ocean!"

A hilarious video ... with a serious message

Take a look at this ... it is hilarious.



Now take a read here, from Yahoo! Sports, and a look at www.fairworldcup.org.

Not so funny anymore.

Stories regarding FIFA's rule and profit they took in South Africa are far and wide. I'm certainly not accusing FIFA of any of that, and not denying the organization to make money. However if any of these stories are true ... and there is some evidence to show that it is ... it will be really quite sad.

It looks like fairworldcup.org is following this, and I will eagerly watch the developments as the World Cup draws closer.

More protests and complaints for Brazil

Brazil's World Cup Lag Grows Dire and Angry Words Fly

Brazil may be the world's soccer capital, but as the country gears up to host the World Cup in 2014, a war of words between the government and FIFA, soccer's ruling body, just keeps intensifying.

The hostilities have followed a predictable pattern: FIFA criticizes Brazil for being behind with preparations; Brazil gets in a huff; FIFA apologizes. Then it starts all over again.

In the latest round, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke caused a storm when he said that Brazil needed a "kick up the backside." Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo said the secretary general should be removed from his post. Marco Aurelio Garcia, a foreign-policy adviser to Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, exclaimed:"This guy is a vagabond!" ...

See the whole story here, from Bloomberg.

Kicking Back Comments: Very best line in the article is ""We want actions, not just more words," Blatter said."

How great is that? The ethics of FIFA is falling down around him and he is willing to sit back and watch as the governing institution for The Game crumbles around him.

Yet, you get anywhere near his wallet, and watch out, its time for action.

It is laughable frankly.

Brazil v. FIFA, Round 2

Brazil Senate Reignites FIFA Spat by Canceling Valcke Meeting

Brazil’s Senate canceled a meeting with FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke, reigniting a spat with soccer’s ruling body a month after the South American country tried to remove him as the lead representative for the planning of the 2014 World Cup.

A Senate committee overseeing preparations for the tournament said the institution needs to be represented at a hearing scheduled originally for April 11 by its President, Sepp Blatter, and not by Valcke, according to a statement on the Senate’s website today. A new hearing is still to be scheduled, the committee said in the statement. ...

See the full article here, courtesy of Bloomberg.

Kicking Back Comments: This is starting to get good. Sepp is standing by his man, but Brazil wants nothing to do with him. Any guesses on what is next? By the way, Brazil has still not amended its sovereign law to meet FIFA's whims of serving alcohol in stadiums. Is it a money thing, or just Valcke?

Another take on WC14 from Forbes

The Fall of Brazil's Corrupt Soccer King And The Rise of The Green Cup

The most powerful man in Brazilian soccer fell today after skirting decades of corruption charges. In the federal capital, two young men are chasing down a different kind of green.

Construction delays and corruption charges be damned – if Ian McKee and Vicente Mello have their way, World Cup 2014 will go down as the first Green Cup in history. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Forbes.

Kicking Back Comments: Brilliant or foolish? This one may go either way in the face of the nightmare that is the infrastructure of Brazil. I am certainly interested either way.

A "Cooling Off" Period?

FIFA delays 2014 inspection trip to Brazil

ZURICH — FIFA has postponed a 2014 World Cup inspection trip to Brazil next week by its top administrator, who sparked anger there by criticizing delays in preparations.

The governing body says FIFA President Sepp Blatter will first visit Brazil and meet with President Dilma Rousseff. Blatter wrote to Rousseff on Friday, and has requested a meeting in Brazil next week.

FIFA says secretary general Jerome Valcke will resume his scheduled tour of 2014 host cities after the presidents meet. Valcke planned to join former Brazil playing greats Ronaldo and Bebeto in Recife, Brasilia and Cuiaba on the second of six tours this year. ...

See the whole article here, from CBS News.

Kicking Back Comments: I wonder if Sepp put Mr. Valcke in a "time out?"

Knock knock. Whose there? FIFA ....

FIFA team inspects World Cup stadiums in Brazil

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil — Amid concerns at delays in the preparation of stadiums in Brazil that will stage the 2014 World Cup, a FIFA team touring the Porto Alegre arena has been assured that renovation work will resume next week after an eight-month break.

"We are presenting all our infrastructure projects and we guarantee that work in the (Beira-Rio) arena will restart next week," Kalil Sehbe, the sports secretary in Rio Grande do Sul state, told local media.

Officials of Internacional, the football club that owns the stadium, said they were committed to signing a contract before next Tuesday with the Andrade Gutierrez conglomerate to resume the work. ...

See the complete story here, courtesy of AFP.

Kicking Back Comments: Coincidence? I think not based on the recent media kerfuffle.

Brazil 2014? Are we sure?

Brazil And FIFA

By Justin Shaffer - SEATTLE, WA (Mar 5, 2012) US Soccer Players -- Over the weekend, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke triggered a very public back and forth with Brazil over the current state of readiness for the 2014 World Cup, going so far as to say that Brazil needed a “kick up the backside”. Valcke's statements touched on the slow pace of Brazil’s infrastructure improvements, stadium construction delays, and FIFA’s demands for changes in Brazilian laws.

“I don’t understand why things are not moving,” Valcke told reporters. “The stadiums are not on schedule any longer... and why are a lot of things late? The concern is nothing is made or prepared to receive so many people. I am sorry to say but things are not working in Brazil.”

Brazil’s sports minister, Aldo Rabelo, called Valcke’s comments “inappropriate, offensive, and unacceptable.” The ministry went on to say that a letter will be delivered on Monday to FIFA president Sepp Blatter informing him they will no longer deal with Valcke and asking that FIFA appoint a new representative.

Valcke hit back, calling Rabelo’s comments “juvenile” and accusing Rebelo of ignoring the issues at hand. Needless to say, this is not where FIFA expected to find itself in March of 2012. ...

See the whole story here, from ussoccerplayers.com.

Kicking Back Comments: I question Mr. Valcke's credentials to be overseeing a project of this magnitude. You would think that someone who is responsible for organizing the WORLD CUP in a country would have some operational experience doing such, yes? Nope. Mr. Valcke is a sports journalist, then eventually became a CEO of a sports channel (source).

Apparently Brazil it thinking in a similar fashion based on the Goal.com article "Jerome Valcke is a bum." That article is a bit more expressive in how some in the Brazilian government feel about Mr. Valcke and how they are insulted with his comments regarding the Brazilian people.

Hmmmm ... this one will be an interesting finish. I am curious to see if ego will rule and FIFA will force Mr. Valcke down the throat of the Brazilian government.

Is there a plan B? I ask that somewhat seriously as with natural disasters (like a year ago in Japan), what is the backup plan?

I say, bring it here =)

Romario "strikes" back

FIFA must be put in its place, says Romario

(Reuters) - FIFA must not be allowed to ride roughshod over Brazilian law when it stages the 2014 World Cup, former Brazil striker Romario, now a federal Congressman, said Monday.

Romario told reporters that Brazilian laws which guarantee half-price entry to football matches for the elderly and ban on alcohol in stadiums should not be swept away for FIFA's benefit.

"If FIFA is not put in its rightful place, FIFA will soon have more power than our president and the World Cup will be the way FIFA wants it and not the way we should do it," Romario told reporters. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Reuters.

Kicking Back Comments: Romario for President! I am with him. As I noted here, this policy from FIFA not only abridges the sovereign law of the land ... but its really crappy public policy from FIFA ... you guessed it ... for a buck. Well $100,313,600 to be more precise. Chump change for FIFA in light of what they make on World Cups. They use the excuse of "investing it back into football", which some of it likely does ... but please ... give us a break with the PR rubbish. Let the elderly see the matches at 1/2 price ... after all, they help build the game that you have the luxury of governing now.