Can Brazil, played by COVID, win the Copa del Rey? | Coronavirus pandemic News

Belo Horizonte, Brazil – It is fitting that the little-used Estadio Mane Garrincha football stadium in Brazil is almost overlooked by the office of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

Just over a week ago, the cave will host the opening match of the most controversial and politicized Copa America in the history of the world’s oldest international football tournament.

Whether it happens, despite Bolsonaro’s frustration, remains to be seen.

Until the end of last month, the tournament, made up of 10 teams, was for the first time organized by two countries together: Colombia and Argentina.

The former’s intentions were canceled on May 20 due to civil unrest. Ten days later, COVID cases in Argentina rose by 54 percent in the country has changed accommodation rights for the inappropriate person who had the worst outbreak of the fifth coronavirus in the world.

Within 24 hours, Brazil destroyed by COVID was presented as an emergency solution.

Alejandro Dominguez, president of CONMEBOL (the governing body of South American football), wrote on Twitter: “A tournament is coming that will shake the continent.” He was not wrong.

Brazil the right choice?

The reality, like COVID-19, is hard to shake: the 105-year-old tournament shifted from Colombia and Argentina to political unrest and coronavirus, yet moved to a politically broken country when it was the second worst of the dead. the world and no end.

As of June 5, Brazil had reported 17 million coronavirus cases, the third largest in the world, and more than 470,000 dead, second only to the United States.

Only 10 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated and confirmed that Brazil was the host and registered 94,509 new cases the next day, the second highest number in the country.

The decision to host the tournament sparked criticism across South America. Footballers, politicians, health experts, lawyers and fans appeared incredulous at the idea of ​​organizing a tournament in a country that is constantly struggling to control the virus.

The Brazilian football federation has not yet made a statement and has not responded to a request for comment from Al Jazeera. But the Brazilian national team is against the idea of ​​having the tournament at home.

On Friday, after the team won against Ecuador, captain Casemiro suggested that the players did not want to take part in the tournament due to the country’s COVID status.

“We can’t talk about it [but] everyone knows what our position is in the Copa America, “Casemiro said.” It’s impossible to be clearer. We want to express our opinion after the match against Paraguay. “

‘Serious site’

Top stars such as Argentine Sergio Aguero and Uruguayan Luis Suarez have also expressed concern, and the Chilean national team is also considering boycotting coach Martin Lasarte, saying that playing in Brazil is a “tremendous risk”.

Shortly after Dominguez’s tweet arrived, the memes of the iron mascot and logos that featured coffin and virus molecules circulated on the net.

Using the Brazilian words “variant” and “grave site,” the Brazilians changed the Cepa America and Cova America tournaments.

“Every day, more than 2,000 people are dying in Brazil because of this virus, yet it has been happening for a long time now that it is considered completely natural,” said Dr. Jamal Suleiman, an infectious disease specialist at Emilio Ribas Hospital in Sao Paulo. said Al Jazeera.

“It simply came to our notice then. Every month every day 10 passengers crash like big planes. No other country in the world is like that. “

South America is home to more than half of the 15 countries with the highest seven-day incidence of COVID cases worldwide.

Tite, the coach of the Brazilian national football team, has refused to confirm whether they will play in this year’s America’s Cup because the most important players will not go for the stupid idea of ​​holding a sporting event while thousands of people are still dying every day. Covid 19tik. pic.twitter.com/GBOGI0EwH4

– BrianMier (@BrianMteleSUR) June 5, 2021

Still, with $ 100 million worth of television rights already sold, CONMEBOL is refusing to postpone its show competition for a second year.

With no fans inside the stadium, Brazil will lift the curtain against Venezuela on June 13 before playing other matches in Cuiaba, Goiania and Rio de Janeiro.

According to a study by the Brazilian newspaper O Globo, each of the four host cities has less than 20% available ICU beds.

“Organizing the America’s Cup sends a message that the pandemic is under control,” Suleiman added.

“That can’t be underestimated and that’s what Bolsonaro has tried to do from the beginning, saying he’s just a ‘gripezinha’. [small cold] and ‘sissy stuff’ [thing for sissies]. Football is not a place associated with sissie, it is seen as a macho sport. So the message that is being conveyed in the planning of the event risks significantly deteriorating public health. “

In a non-COVID context, an emergency decision might be logical.

For the past seven years, Brazil has hosted the Soccer World Cup, the Olympics, the Under-17 World Cup and the 2019 America’s Cup. The country certainly has the best infrastructure in the region to host a major sporting event.

“I am against celebrating the Copa America this year because it is losing prestige, but if we have it, Brazil is a good option,” said 21-year-old student Lucas Assis Rio from Janeiro.

“Our home leagues are up and running and other South American teams played Libertadores games here last week, so I don’t see a difference. The mainstream media is completely against the America’s Cup, but they have no problem broadcasting home football, so it feels hypocritical and political. For me, all this anger is linked to television rights rather than people dying. “

Can vaccines save the tournament?

CONMEBOL says that with the 50,000 vaccines provided by Chinese manufacturer Sinovac, it can incorporate all the team representatives before the tournament starts.

However, there is no time on the part of the organizers. A three-week period between the two doses is recommended. Suleiman says the logic is “completely flawed,” and also highlights the dangers posed by unprotected peripheral workers, such as pilots, bus drivers and hotel workers.

“It’s crazy,” said Monica Sapucaia Machado, a professor at the Brazilian Institute of Public Law in Brazil. “They say they will include traveling parties, but what about people who work at airports, hotels, restaurants? Do we expect the players to be in the hotel for a month? It’s ridiculous. “

Last week, David Neres of Ajax and Robert Arboleda of Sao Paulo were arrested at a clandestine party, and more than 100 people gathered. Such secret events are a common theme in Brazil, where each state governor sets his own rules.

“The pandemic here is fully controlled,” Suleiman said. “Public hospitals are full, private hospitals are full, everyone is working to their full potential. Medications for intubated patients in Sao Paulo will end next week with no plans to restart. It is not a comfortable situation.

“Football is a great sport, it’s an emotional game, but the country doesn’t need the America’s Cup at the moment. What the country needs is a vaccine. “

‘Diversion Tactics’

The controversial decision came just under a week ago when tens of thousands of protesters called on the streets of 200 Brazilian cities to impeach Bolsonaro.

The president has unusually acted on the severity of the coronavirus, is opposed to blockages, and has questioned the effectiveness of vaccines.

On Wednesday night, Bolsonaro confirmed that the tournament would be held in Brazil and said he would follow the same protocol as in the Copa Libertadores and World Cup qualifiers.

However, opposition politicians have already done so approached the Supreme Court with the intention of suspending the tournament for public health.

Brazilian Socialist Party leader Carlos Siqueira has said it is a “death project,” Senator Renan Calheiros has called on Brazilian star Neymar Jr. to take a stand. Lawsuits have been filed in several states across the country.

Professor Machado said in Al Jazeera that Bolsonaro’s decision to hold the green tournament is likely a “deviant tactic” and a “means of diverting attention”, as he and his government were heavily criticized for their management of the pandemic in a parliamentary investigation.

Adding that some legal actions may have results, he believes they will be unlikely to force a suspension.

“We have no control over the problem we have in Brazil now,” Machado said. “Legal and technical opinions, things that have been studied from generation to generation and based on evidence, are not used to make important decisions. I understand that football for Brazil is a very important business, but I don’t see how smart the movement is from any point of view, even financially.

“Sorry for the statement, but what’s the point here?”