The Confederations Cup is over, but the real drama is just starting
The Confederations Cup is over, but the real drama is just starting
The Confederations Cup is over, but the real drama is just starting
So the Confederations Cup came and went, and while the tournament was more exciting than any warm-up competition has a right to be, there’s no denying that the most significant story of the last few weeks was the breakout of widespread protests across Brazil.
Let’s get one thing straight: these protesters weren’t agitating for the sake of it. The demonstrations held across the country, from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia, were the result of the long-held frustrations of a populace who’s been systemically exploited for decades. From a lack of government services, to political neglect and outright corruption, Brazilians reached a turning point.
Which begs a question: what will we see next summer? This isn’t Brazil’s World Cup. It can’t be. Not when the Brazilian government and FIFA have excluded the majority of the population and conspired to sanitize the real Brazil, keeping it as far from television cameras as possible. So what will we see next June?
Taking that a step further, what will we see in 2018 or 2022?
Human rights and political concerns aren’t limited to Brazil. World Cups in Qatar and Russia are going to be trailed by their own scandals, whether they concern socially accepted racism, the use of slave labor, the treatment of women, or any of the numerous concerns which would prevent any right-minded organization from hosting a World Cup in their midst.
At what point do we make sure the World Cup is just as fair off the pitch as on? [Posted by Maxi]
