Sao Paulo, June 12 – The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) isn’t impressed. Neither are the fans. And going by the reports coming in, Brazil is in no way in shape or form to host the World Cup which begins later on Thursday. FIFA’s two top officials have described preparations as the worst ever and dealing with Brazilian authorities as “hell.”
Coupled with massive protests, worker deaths, incomplete projects and major transportation issues, things came to a head on Wednesday when the country came to a standstill thanks to a 214-mile – yes, 214-mile (that’s 344 kilometres) – traffic jam.
The massive pile-up occurred in Sao Paulo – the city which will host several World Cup events. Earlier, a similar traffic jam had set the record at 192-miles in November 2013.
With the railway workers strike which is likely to resume later today, just ahead of the first game, things are expected to get worse. The strike is likely to result in people driving their cars to their destinations along with the added World Cup traffic that is likely to add to the chaos.
The traffic jams aren’t the only thing that have left much to be desired from Brazil. Out of the 12 planned stadiums, one is without a roof, five are yet to be finished, leaving only six stadiums to host the football matches.
Manaus, a city located in the heart of Brazil and on Amazon river, is where England will play its first game. The city has declared a state of emergency due to flooding and is also in the middle of a fatal dengue fever outbreak.
In a report that doesn’t hold back its punches, NBC Sports News wrote, “Brazil will welcome the players and fans to unfinished airports, drive them past uncompleted transport systems, through streets that have been clogged with rioters protesting the cost of the tournament and into stadiums that have cost lives to build and haven’t all been finished.”
NBC News further wrote, “Organizers have shelved much of the infrastructure they promised, from roads to a high-speed train between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Just five of the 35 planned urban-mobility rail schemes are complete. Fans will use buses and taxis to get to city centers and games, not the promised metro lines.
“In Natal, where the U.S. team will play its first game on Monday, half the infrastructure projects planned for the cup weren’t even started.
“Brazil’s president opened a new terminal at Sao Paulo airport to great fanfare this month, but it will handle only a fraction of the airlines originally scheduled to land there. The new airport terminal promised in Fortaleza has been delayed until 2017.”
With allegations of scams and charges of money meant for projects being siphoned off, this has already become the most expensive soccer tournament ever. Speaking about it, Soccer legend Romario said the World Cup was “the biggest heist in the history of Brazil”.
For a country that thinks of itself as “o pais do futebol”, the football country, Brazil had seven years to finish everything it promised after it was chosen in 2007 to host the world’s biggest spectacle ever. Let’s hope the games make for a better display than Brazil’s preparedness.
-INDIA TODAY
