Doctors, public health experts and opposition parties have criticized the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) decision to host the America’s Cup in Brazil in the midst of the 19-covid pandemic.
Physician and neuroscientist Miguel Nikilelis used Twitter to criticize the Brazilian government, stressing that “Colombia and Argentina have abandoned CONMEBOL, but of course Brazil could not pass up the opportunity to host another football event in the midst of the pandemic. … out of control. ”“ Will the teams be vaccinated in front of the millions of Brazilians waiting in line? ”the doctor added.
CONMEBOL announced this morning that the 2021 Copa America will be held in Brazil. “Start and end dates [10 de julho] tournament confirmed. CONMEBOL will inform the headquarters and the table in the next few hours. The oldest international tournament in the world will cause a wave for the entire continent, ”the organization said.
Epidemiologist Pedro Curi Halal also spoke out against the event, noting that the America’s Cup in Brazil is “debauchery and disrespect for the 460,000 families of those killed in the country.”
“The decision was made just at the moment when the third wave begins. As a football fan, I regret that sport is becoming more and more distant from the people, ”said a social media posting specialist.
The Workers’ Party (PT), led by former President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, also criticized the country’s decision to host an event that Colombia cannot host and from which Argentina pulled out as host last Sunday.
Copa America: After all, Brazil will host the competition.
“And we will learn that [o presidente, Jair] Bolsonaro sanctioned America’s Cup here in Brazil! This is serious? In a pandemic, third wave, risk of lack of beds, vaccine supplies and slow vaccinations? Incredible! “, -” dismissed “the president of PT Gleisi Hofmann.
Federal MP Julio Delgado, on the other hand, announced that he would file a lawsuit with the Federal Supreme Court (STF) to bar the event’s dispute in the country. “I’m going to court against the America’s Cup in Brazil. This is absurd! I bring more information throughout the day, “wrote Delgado on his personal Twitter account.
Despite the backlash from experts and opposition, Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mouran said hosting the event in the country posed “less risk” than in Argentina, which will host the tournament.
“Let’s say the next thing is less (…) It’s not that it’s safer, it’s less of a risk. It’s not anymore. This is less. The risk remains, ”Murao told reporters in Brasilia, leaving the Palacio do Highland.
On the other hand, the governor of the Federal District, which includes Brasilia, said today that “there is nothing against” the possibility of hosting the America’s Cup games in the city.
“As long as the necessary sanitary measures are being followed, I have nothing against,” Ibaneis Rocha said.
The Mane Garrinchi Stadium in Brasilia, which was renovated for the 2014 World Cup, is already considered a possible scenario for America’s Cup games.
Brazil is the Portuguese-speaking country hardest hit by the pandemic and one of the hardest hit in the world, with 461,931 deaths and more than 16.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The covid-19 pandemic has caused at least 3,543,125 deaths worldwide, with more than 170.2 million infections, according to a report by French agency AFP.
The disease is transmitted by a new coronavirus discovered at the end of 2019 in Wuhan, a city in central China.
