World cup warm up event just concluded with flying colors but one thing that is irritating everyone is the anti-government protests from all the corners, in fact, thousands of protesters have warned the organizers to demonstrate every severer during the biggest soccer event. FIFA, who has tasted them in just concluded event, is taking their threats seriously and started consulting with Brazilian security agencies to know how they have planned to arrange security of 22 players on the field. In any ways, governing body has made it clear that if any tear gas or rubber bullet being used by security forces causes disturbance to any of the infield players, they will stop the match without thinking twice. FIFA, indeed, don’t want to interfere with the internal problem between Government and protestors; hence it has not issued any advisory about how they want security systems to be, but it has clearly warned both Brazilian government and local organizers to keep a tight check on their systems before every match. It is a well-known fact that Brazil government is going to earn mega profit out of this event and if anything untoward happens in-between; it would be a major setback for five-time Champions who is also the strongest contestant to win the title.
FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke talked about his concerns to players’ security on Monday; he said about ideal security arrangement that “That’s not for me to decide on security, that’s an issue for the government. I am asking them to provide the security we need to organize the World Cup … we have no right to ask the government what to do with the security. It’s their problem and their responsibility.” He, however, also added that “Anytime the 22 players on the pitch cannot play, then you have to stop,” which tells how serious he is about the possible effects of tear gas or rubber bullets on players.
Actually, every Confederation cup match has seen gathering of massive protesters outside each playing venue which caused lots of trouble to players, especially when security forces had to use some kind of deterrents to scatter the crowd. Valcke added, “What you do want to do? To put volunteers around the stadium? You want us to put some big fans in order to push (it) away?” he added. “There is a limit to what we can do. There is a limit to what we can ask. Again, we have to live with what we have sometimes.”