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Rousseff wants urgent review

May 6, 2014

Brazil's problems have been mounting ahead of the World Cup following the brutal death of a fan outside a stadium. Brazil's president has called for strong action for involved in the football-linked violence.

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Brasilien Unruhen
Image: CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images

Brazil President Dilma Rousseff called for an immediate strengthening of policing around football stadiums on Tuesday as violence continued to mar the build-up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

A 26-year-old man was killed in the host city of Recife while attending a second division match between Santa Cruz and Parana. Paulo Ricardo Gomes da Silva died instantly after being hit on the head by one of three toilet bowls ripped out of the stadium at the end of the match as both fans filtered out of the stadium.

Police arrested a 23-year-old man in connection with the incident, although, the suspect has told how two other fans were involved.

"The country that loves football can't be tolerant to violence inside stadiums," Rousseff commented through her social media account on Twitter. "Violence inside stadiums must be rigorously reprimanded by local police, and criminals must be taken to courts."

"Football stadiums are home to joy and passion. We should all unite for #PeaceAtStadiums," the Brazilian president added.

Second division club Santa Cruz, based in the city of Recife, will play their next two home league matches behind closed doors following a decision of the Brazilian sports tribunal. The club's president believed they had done everything to separate supporters before the clashes broke out.

Widespread violence

Brazil's authorities are struggling to contain the stadium battles waging across the country as they look to crack down on violence ahead of the showpiece event next month. Only last weekend, authorities detained 40 supporters following clashes outside the FIFA arena in Natal.

In February, a 34-year-old football fan was beaten to death following a high-profile Brazilian State Championship match between Sao Paolo and Santos as he left the Morumbi Stadium.

Efforts to clamp down on protests have led to escalataing violence.
Efforts to clamp down on protests have led to escalataing violence.Image: picture-alliance/AP

Around the same time, more than 200 supporters of the country's most successful club Corinthians stormed the training ground threatening players following a string of poor results. Natal has also been the scene of two shootings outside of the World Cup arena, the first injuring three men and the second without casualties after a group shot at rival supporters.

However, FIFA and the local organizing committee have continued to stress the security will be strengthened around the World Cup. Last month, FIFA secretary Jerome Valcke visited the country to assess the state of the 12 World Cup venues, some of which are still yet to be finished.

While this is a fundamental problem for Brazil in a logistical sense, Valcke's visit coincided with running battles on the streets of Rio de Janeiro following the death of a popular 30-year-old male dancer whose parents have pointed the finger of blame at the police. A 27-year-old male was killed in the subsequent uproar that followed.

"It is a tragic episode which causes sadness but it is not sufficient to say the Cup is at risk," Valcke spoke in the northern city of Fortaleza. The Brazilian authorities are locked in combat to "pacify" the city slums and their strong action is being met by public anger and retaliation from local groups.

The World Cup kicks-off on June 12 in Sao Paolo with the final being held Rio's renowned Maracana Stadium on July 13.

rd/kms (AFP, APE, AP, RTRE)