Western Eye issue 3

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Western Eye 11.13  –  Issue 03

WORLD CUP BRAZIL

The Good, The Bad and quite possibly, The Ugly With the World Cup on the horizon, a debate has taken the football world by the scruff of its neck. The three articles on this spread will display the arguments for and against the event in order to help you answer the question – will it all be worth it?

Why the World Cup in Brazil will be a GOOD thing The World Cup is coming to Brazil. This will not only be a spectacle for football fans across the globe, but Brazil will see some great benefits from hosting the world’s biggest sporting event. WHERE THE WORLD CUP FINAL WILL BE HELD ESTADIO DO MARACANA

GEORGE GILL

sectioncoordinator@westerneye.net

Brazil, the most successful nation in the history of the game, are the f irst South American to host the world cup since Argentina in 1978, and it will be the f irst time they have ever hosted the tournament, remarkable given their World Cup pedigree. After achieving what was to be a winning bid for the World Cup in 2007, and then securing the Olympics in 2016, Brazil has been busy in creating the necessary infrastructure to host an eff icient and atmospheric tournament. Investment in infrastructure, which primarily means transport, will see roads, trains and other forms of public transport improve signif icantly and will see citizens of Brazil benef it in the long-term. Many jobs will be created for the World Cup and the Olympics, with current estimates at 3.6 million new employment opportunities. Businesses will also benef it. A recent report by Bloomberg pointed out that foreign investors are prof iting from publicly-traded companies connected to some infrastructure projects for the World Cup, particularly the building of stadiums. One particular construction company, which supplies concrete and scaffolding, has seen its stock price triple since 2010. Foreign Direct Investment will bring much growth to Brazil from

abroad. Brazil, one of the world’s leading emerging economies, will cement its place on the global stage if it successfully hosts the global tournaments. The tourism industry will increase dramatically as Brazil will be the focus of the world until the Olympics conclude in the summer of 2016. Brazilian culture will be projected the world over, as the Samba and carnival atmosphere will be infectious to all who watch. Recognised and important leaders in the sporting world agree that the tournament will bring a strong degree of prosperity and happiness to Brazil for both the World Cup and the Olympics. Jack Rogge, the current President of the International Olympic Committee gives reasons for why the tournament will be a success: “Public investments are for the long term,” Rogge said on a teleconference. “Public investments are not for the short term. It’s not for the two weeks of the Olympic Games or the month of the FIFA World Cup. “The investments are for generations to come — be it the metro, be it the bus line, be it improvements of the airport, be it improvement of the harbour. This will serve (the) community for a very long time.” Sepp Blatter, the Head of FIFA, agrees with Rogge’s views that the World Cup will bring prosperity to the people of Brazil: “In football,

the whole country gets the legacy,” he told the O Globo newspaper. “Football involves the whole country. The country improves airports, hotels, highways, telecommunications, and sustainability programs.” Blatter continued:

I can understand that people are unhappy. But football is here to unite people. Football is here to build bridges, to generate excitement, to bring hope. Brazil asked to host the World Cup. We didn’t force it on them. It’s obvious that stadiums need to be built but that isn’t the only thing in a World Cup: there are highways, hotels, airports and a lot of other items that remain as a legacy

An argument could be made that it will be cost too much money and the benef its will not outweigh the money spent to stage both the World Cup and the Olympics. Lessons

can be learned however from previous tournaments that were heavily invested in. The over-budgeted and complicated f inancing of the London Olympics in 2012 was for the most part completely justif ied, given the overwhelming success of the event. Not too many people are regretting hosting the Olympics, whereas many were sceptical of hosting it before the great event began.

A further argument that is often cited is that the event may only be benef icial for Brazilian national morale if they have a successful tournament. Of course, the pressure will be on, but they are the bookies favourite so they should certainly reach the semi-f inals and have a strong chance of winning the whole thing altogether. READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AT WESTERNEYE.NET

Facts and Details about the World Cup

Current Favourites (SkyBet) Estádio do Maracanã: 12th June – 13th July BELGIUM 14/1

ARGENTINA 11/2

ENGLAND 22/1

BRAZIL 100/30

SPAIN 11/2

GERMANY 5/1


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