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Quadriga - World Cup Risks - Can Brazil Win?

May 8, 2014

In one month's time the Soccer World Cup kicks off in Brazil. But the country has a serious problem with violence in the poor urban neighbourhoods called favelas. And the problem is spreading: Brazil's tourist centres are increasingly affected. Angry people are using the World Cup to draw attention to the appaling conditions they are forced to live in and to the failures of their government.

https://p.dw.com/p/1Bwek

It is supposed to be the supreme football festival. In a few weeks six hundred thousand fans from around the world are expected to arrive in Brazil. But so far there is little sign of party atmosphere. In fact, quite the reverse: on the streets there are protests and fighting, people are being wounded and killed.

Fußball WM 2014 Brasilien Stadien Sao Paulo Itaquerao
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo

For many Brazilians the football World Cup has become a symbol of state oppression. Some of them are determined to prevent the competition going ahead. According to the official figures, the event will cost 40 billion dollars. Many people are afraid that the money has been spent on stadiums that will not be needed in the future, and that none of it will trickle down to them.

Brasilien Proteste gegen Ölfeldversteigerung
Image: picture alliance / AP Photo

There were also mass protests and violence during the Confed-Cup in Brazil in 2013. Brazilians have experience using major sporting events to draw attention to problems such as crumbling infrastructure, corruption, police violence and social inequality.

Graffiti Brasilien WM 2014 Kritisch
Image: C.Simon/AFP/GettyImages

Why, in a country which loves football, is there so much emotion against football's biggest competition? Will Brazil get the violence under control? Are fans in danger? What is FIFA doing? Can sport and politics be separated? Is it possible to hold sports events without sparking opposition?

World Cup Risks - Can Brazil Win?

Tell us what you think - Send an email to quadriga@dw.de

Eastern Enlargement - Big EU, Big Success?

Our guests:

08.05.2014 quadriga studiogast Dario Azzellini

Dario Azzellini - since graduating in Berlin with a degree in Political Science, Azzellini has worked as a journalist, translator, as well as a documentary film maker. Azzellini has chosen to focus on Latin America where he spends much of his time.

08.05.2014 quadriga studiogast Sven Goldmann

Sven Goldmann - was born in Berlin and works as a journalist at Berlin's 'Tagesspiegel' newspaper , where he was in charge of the sports department. Since 2005 he has reported mainly on football in Germany and around the world. He has visited Latin America many times and knows both Brazil's football and its people well.

08.05.2014 quadriga studiogast Astrid Prange

Astrid Prange De Oliveira - was Brazil correspondent for Berlin's 'taz' newspaper, based in Rio de Janeiro, from 1989 to 1996. She then worked for various newspapers in Germany as a business reporter and in other roles. From 2004 to 2006 she worked as a campaigner for the development organisation UNICEF. She has considerable knowledge of the political, economic and social situation in Brazil. In 2003 she won the BMZ media prize for development policy, and in 2000 the European Commission's Lorenzo Natali Prize for Human Rights and Democracy.