Soccerex: Fears for Brazil World Cup 2014 as conference axed

Fears about
disruption to next
year's World Cup
have been raised
after the key
global football
conference
Soccerex was
cancelled because
of continuing civil
unrest.
It was due to start in just three weeks time at the
Maracana stadium.
The England manager, Roy Hodgson, was among a
number of high-profile figures who were planning to
attend the event.
The organisers and Rio's state government disagreed
over why the event is being called off.
In a statement, the organisers said the government
took the decision because of "ongoing civil unrest" in
Brazil.
This was later "strongly denied" by the state
government of Rio, citing instead funding problems.
"The governor says he encouraged the organisers to
seek cultural and sports incentive funding to finance
the event, but the organisers failed to do so," it said
in a statement read out by Fifa's head of media at a
news conference in London.
'Apology'
The event would have been the last of four scheduled
Soccerex conventions to be held in Rio.
The organisers said they would be taking legal action
against the Rio authorities responsible.
"Preparations for the event at the Maracana Stadium
were well advanced with content planned, speakers
confirmed and partnerships in place," a statement
said.
"To be summarily cancelled in such a cavalier
fashion, having hosted 33 events over five continents
is extremely frustrating but nevertheless it has
happened and is in contravention of all of the
contractual obligations of the Rio State Government,
who have been notified of our intention to instigate
legal proceedings for substantial compensation."
Soccerex chief executive Duncan Revie called the
cancellation "cruel" and said he wanted to apologise
to "every business, football club, league, federation
and media organisation affected by this news".
Despite the sudden cancellation, world football
governing body Fifa said it did not suggest
heightened security fears for the World Cup.
Fifa's marketing director, Thierry Weil, said: "We do
not believe this will have any influence in any way or
form on the organisation of the Fifa World Cup."
Brazil, one of the fast-growing Brics nations, has seen
its growth rate fall far from the 7.5% recorded in
2010 and is now growing at just short of 3% a year.
That, and a sharp fall in the value of its currency, the
real, has sparked a number of often violent anti-
government protests this year.
Security
Among the protesters' concerns are corruption in
public life as well as spending on hosting the World
Cup and Olympics.
People are also asking for more investment in public
services, better public schools, hospitals and
transportation.
These demonstrations affected the Confederations
Cup in June, prompting fears about safety and
security for next summer's World Cup finals.
Soccerex has been running for the last 18 years.
It brings together football federations and
associations, major clubs, rights holders, leading
brands, businessmen and others in the industry.
Next year it moves to Manchester in the UK, which
has been the host of Soccerex Europe since 2010.