WORLD CUP BACKSTAGE: FIFA’LL PAY FOR TEMP WORKS, ACCUSATIONS FLYING
One of the most respected Brazilian Sports Journalists, Juca Kfouri, published in his blog yesterday that , backstage at FIFA, they are already articulating the payment of between US$50 and 60 million required for temporary works at the stadium that will host the opening World Cup, match, in Itaquera. Apparently, they are now convinced that Andres Sanches’ (Corinthians representative) promise to pay was only to get Jerome Valcke off their backs.
I worked with Juca at the Football magazine Placar in the 80s and can attest that he is one of the best informed and connected journalists there. Kfouri adds some interesting details of the backstage going ons. Physically debilitated and obese, the result of intense stress, the head of the local organizing committee Ricardo Trade, now accuses Fifa super consultant , American Jim Brown, the contracted weight of gold still to Ricardo Teixeira, to be responsible for the debacle, breaking new relationship that was partnership.
It seems Fifa has no longer any wish to hide the fact that it feels stabbed in the back. They know they need to dig into their pockets and pay up or face a resounding failure in its largest event .