Blatter dances on as his European rivals seethe

Blatter dances on as his European rivals seethe  — On a tough day in his 16-year FIFA presidency, Sepp Blatter even found time to shimmy on stage with a glamorous Brazilian model.

Blatter's shuffling steps with Fernanda Lima, FIFA's favorite big-event host during Tuesday's gala opening of its annual congress, suggested he was care-free just 48 hours before the troubled 2014 World Cup kicks off.

Yet Blatter had seemingly been snubbed by Brazil state president Dilma Rousseff, who skipped the ceremony, and hours earlier was subjected to a ferocious attack on his record by European football leaders.

Senior UEFA officials lined up to openly denounce Blatter's running of the scandal-hit governing body after urging him during a closed-door meeting not to stand for re-election in 2015.

"People link FIFA to corruption and bribery and all kinds of old boys' networks," said Michael van Praag of the Netherlands, revealing he had told Blatter "people tend not to take you very seriously anymore. FIFA has an executive president and that means you are responsible."

Blatter's behavior on Monday finally caused European frustrations — long simmering at seeing UEFA President Michel Platini's potential path to the FIFA throne blocked — to boil over.

On a tour of continental meetings, Blatter had fanned indignation among African and Asian delegates by suggesting recent European media reports alleging corruption linked to Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid was rooted in racism.

Blatter also promised hundreds of thousands of dollars in bonus payments to each country from FIFA's $4 billion-plus World Cup revenues.

The FIFA president intends to cash in Wednesday with widespread support from the congress floor for his expected presidential candidacy.

Europe's collective anger flared Tuesday, perhaps fueled by knowing that Blatter was already backed by five of the six confederations before arriving at UEFA's five-star hotel in downtown Sao Paulo.

First, they reminded Blatter he promised them in March 2011 that his current four-year term would be his last.

"He said that he changed his mind and every human being is allowed to change his mind," Van Praag said.

England's delegation, led by Football Association President Greg Dyke, revived long-standing friction with Blatter.

"I said to him, 'I regard the comments you made about the allegations in the British media in which you described them as racist as totally unacceptable,'" Dyke told reporters.

UEFA board member David Gill said Blatter should go in 2015.

"Personally, yes, I think we need to move on," said the former Manchester United chief executive, comparing FIFA to the International Olympic Committee, which changed its president after the Salt Lake City bidding scandal.

Platini did not meet with reporters Tuesday, though his secretary general, Gianni Infantino, denounced Blatter's description of a "storm" around world football.

"There is not a storm in football. There is a storm in FIFA," Infantino said. "It's something which is coming for years and years and years, and every time it's something else."

The volatile meeting recalled open conflict between Blatter and Europe that flared around his original election in 1998, and his re-election in 2002 during a financial scandal after FIFA's then-World Cup marketing agency collapsed into bankruptcy.

Yet Blatter remains secure in office partly because UEFA comprises only around one-quarter of FIFA votes. European support has not been decisive in a presidential poll since the 1960s.

Globally, there is little desire to change a FIFA system and leadership that delivers booming revenues.

"Rest assured, the 11 members in this room are the first in line" to vote for you, Oceania president David Chung told Blatter on Tuesday.

Football politics — on which Blatter clearly thrives — deflected attention away from the expected problems with Brazil's tournament hosting.

On Tuesday, a five-day subway workers' strike ended in Sao Paulo though further stoppages are threatened Thursday, when Brazil plays Croatia in the tournament's opening match, if sacked union leaders are not reinstated.

"What is uniting us today and tomorrow and in the next month is the love of this beautiful game," Blatter said Tuesday, without reference to the host nation's problems and $11 billion-plus bill which has roused widespread public anger

Linking himself to the absent Rousseff, Blatter insisted: "Together we have said this World Cup shall be a great event, not only for Brazil but for the world." ( Associated Press )

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Fashion experts weigh in on World Cup jersey style

Backdropped by the Itaquerao stadium, a Mexico soccer fan poses for a photo wearing a wrestling mask and a representation of his country's national flag as a cape, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tuesday, June 10, 2014. The high-profile inaugural match will be played at the troubled Itaquerao, which was one of the most delayed venues for the World Cup. It's already known that the stadium's roof won't be fully finished until after the tournament. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Fashion experts weigh in on World Cup jersey style — The World Cup uniforms will provide a carnival of color and fashion, from Brazil's bright yellow jerseys to the Netherlands' classic orange to Croatia's red checkered home kit and the superhero-inspired looks of Mexico.

The 2014 tournament, which opens Thursday when Brazil hosts Croatia, features the classics, the creative and the downright outlandish.

The Americans' new red, white and blue color-block road jerseys — critics say they resemble Domino's Pizza delivery uniforms — can't be as bad as the memorable faux denim outfits from 1994. But the vote is still out on how the newest outfit for the Stars and Stripes will go over.

"The USA jersey feels very patriotic," said Los Angeles designer and stylist Estée Stanley of Estée Stanley Design. "It's easy to identify the country as the U.S."

The U.S. isn't the only nation trying the block style.

"Another stylish direction is the color-blocking or piecing — USA away or Ecuador away or Colombia," said Tom Julian, men's fashion director at The Doneger Group, a retail merchandising and consulting firm based in New York.

Then there are the classics.

Brazil will be in the traditional yellow with five stars representing its record five titles.

Several teams are all about understated looks: There are England's white home jersey and red road kit — like the one players wore in the victorious 1966 final against West Germany — and the traditional blue of Italy with the a crest over the heart in the nation's tricolor.

They contrast sharply with Croatia, which sports a bombastic home shirt with large red-and-white checks.

Four years ago, Slovenia sported green road jerseys with large yellow zigzags for road games in a look reminiscent of Charlie Brown.

Some teams have gone for subtle patterns that still stand out. El Tri's lightning bolts on both jerseys will make Mexico fashionable as the team travels around Brazil.

"I am definitely partial to those shirts with daring superhero graphics or shirts that focus on the torso in a dynamic way," Julian said. "Mexico, very 'Shazam!' with the lightning-rod effect — probably my favorite out of all."

Plenty of supporters are flocking into Brazil wearing the new outfit.

"The jersey's like a Power Ranger, I like it," said 28-year-old architect Alan Gonzalez, of Durango, Mexico. He sported the jersey and a sombrero traveling to Sao Paulo via Atlanta with four buddies Tuesday.

Cameroon's forest-green, art-inspired jersey with the look of etchings makes a bold statement for the small African nation.

In the 2004 African Cup of Nations, Cameroon briefly used a track-style unitard. The one-piece outfit with green shirt and red shorts was quickly banned by FIFA before the 2006 World Cup.

The current kit is generating some positive attention.

"The Cameroon jersey is the cutest and most fashionable with an Ikat print," Stanley said.

And, of course, there's the attention to figure-flattering cuts and prints for some of the world's fittest athletes — who are known to celebrate a goal by flashing their rock-hard abdominals.

"The modified Henley — Brazil — is the most body conscious right now and represents the influence of the rock 'n' roll dresser. ... Netherlands away is very torso-enhancing," Julian said. "In activewear, color is an important part of the story, and it's great to see the brights well represented — from yellow and orange to green and red."

Some countries have nicknames based off their kits: France is known as Les Bleus after its classic navy home top. The Netherlands wears orange because it's the royal color — and are nicknamed "Oranje" because of it.

Chile's red home jersey with a blue collar and narrow white stripes down both sides of the neck should bode well for those looking to show off some flair in Brazil and beyond.

Julian calls Costa Rica's look, featuring almost a backward checkmark across the chest, "very space-age superhero" and Nigeria's two-toned green tops with subtle vertical stripes "very green villain."

"Soccer jersey styles are typical and expected with crewneck and polo shirt silhouettes," Julian said. "But the "Johnny collar" style — Chile home — is definitely on trend and a modern silhouette for today's active guy." ( Associated Press )

READ MORE - Fashion experts weigh in on World Cup jersey style

Brazil's president snubs FIFA gathering

FILE - In this June 2, 2014, file photo, Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff and FIFA President Joseph Blatter stand during the playing of the Brazilian national anthem during a ceremony where Blatter presented the 2014 World Cup trophy to Rousseff, at Planalto presidential palace, in Brasilia, Brazil. For Rousseff, who has seen her approval rating steadily fall as she gears up for a re-election run, hosting the World Cup has become a potential political liability reminding voters of her failure to deliver on promises and live up to a reputation for being a hard-driving manager. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres,File)

Brazil's president snubs FIFA gathering — If it were a marriage, the divorce papers would've been filed already. But with the spotlight now turned on Brazil and the opening of the World Cup, the nation's embattled president and the head of soccer's governing body have no choice but to play nice.

If and when they're together, that is.

President Dilma Rousseff was a no-show Tuesday as FIFA President Sepp Blatter presided over the annual assembly of 209 member nations. While it's customary for the head of the World Cup host country to address the meeting, Brazil's sports minister replaced Rousseff without any explanation.

The World Cup has emerged as a potential liability for Rousseff, who has seen her approval ratings steadily fall ahead of an October election. Unfinished projects, traffic jams, charges of wasted money all have tarnished her image, experts say, while the Cup itself offers her little opportunity to shine.

"The less she appears, the better," said Thiago de Aragao, a political analyst for the Brasilia-based Arko Advice consulting firm.

Rousseff is expected to appear with Blatter on Thursday when Brazil meets Croatia in the tournament's opener, but neither is expected to speak. Last year at the Confederations Cup soccer tournament, a jeering crowd drowned out Rousseff's remarks while a stun-faced Blatter looked on.

There is widespread frustration in Brazil over the games. The heavy spending to prepare host cities, while schools and hospitals languish, has soured many on the World Cup — and soccer's governing body.

"Who deserves respect are the Brazilian people, not FIFA," said Patrick Guimaraes, 27, a kiosk vendor whose sentiment is common.

FIFA has been derided for everything from displacing local vendors from stadiums and pressuring Brazil to allow alcohol sales at the games to blocking the sale of discounted tickets for students and senior citizens. Internationally, the Zurich-based organization is reeling from a match-fixing scandal and allegations that a former Qatari official paid bribes to win hosting rights for the 2022 tournament.

FIFA's relationship with Brazil has been tense since the South American nation won the tournament seven years ago. Things soured dramatically in 2012, when FIFA's Secretary General Jerome Valcke said the country needed a "kick in the backside" to meet deadlines for planned stadiums and transportation upgrades. Valcke later apologized, but the damage was done

"To a lot of Brazilians, FIFA looks like a foreign master dictating orders," said former Foreign Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia.

The country's deep ambivalence about hosting the tournament is apparent. There's even a term Brazilians frequently use to describe the gap between the high standards demanded by soccer's governing body and the low quality of public services they've grown to expect: "FIFA Quality." ( Associated Press  )

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Brazil held by feisty Mexico as Ochoa stands firm

Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa (2nd L) saves a header by Brazil's Thiago Silva (2nd R) during their 2014 World Cup Group A soccer match at the Castelao arena in Fortaleza June 17, 2014. REUTERS/Marcelo Del Pozo Jun 17 2014

Brazil held by feisty Mexico as Ochoa stands firm - Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa produced a series of superb reflex saves to restrict Brazil to a 0-0 draw at the World Cup on Tuesday and deny the Brazilians their 11th victory in a row.

In an absorbing Group A match in the deafening cauldron of Fortaleza's Castelao arena, Ochoa thwarted Paulinho, Neymar (twice) and Thiago Silva when they seemed certain to score.

He was the last Mexican player to leave the pitch to a standing ovation by thousands of green-shirted supporters before being named man of the match.

"We should congratulate their goalkeeper who performed at least four miracles," Brazilian striker Fred said after a frustrating afternoon for the hosts who failed time and again to unlock a stubborn Mexican defense.

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari described Ochoa's performance as "spectacular".

At the other end, the Mexicans had a few decent chances of their own in yet another entertaining game at this World Cup, and they could have snatched a victory had their long-range shots been more accurate.

Jose Vasquez, Hector Herrera and Miguel Layun all tried their luck with powerful drives from outside the box that zipped over Julio Cesar's crossbar.

The draw ended Brazil's 10-match winning streak, dating back to August when they lost to Switzerland in a friendly.

It also meant that to make the second round of the tournament both teams need points from their final group games on June 23 when Brazil face Cameroon in Brasilia and Mexico meet Croatia in Recife.

"There was a chance here, a chance there, it was very tight," Scolari said.

“It wasn’t a question of us evolving or not (from the last game). We’ve been playing this way 20 games, we are up against good teams, we need to understand that.”

CAUSING MISCHIEF

Brazil took control of the match from the outset with Marcelo and Oscar causing mischief down the left and Neymar showing bursts of brilliance when he drifted into the middle.

It was a Neymar header that forced the first of Ochoa's "miracles", the keeper scrambling across his line to beat the ball away at his right hand post.

Oscar floated a free kick into the box and Thiago Silva chested it down into the path of Paulinho with just the keeper to beat but again Ochoa got his body in the way and parried the ball to safety.

Brazil turned the screws after the interval against a Mexican side who have never beaten them at the World Cup and have failed to score a single goal against them in four meetings dating back to 1950.

With a passionate Brazilian crowd roaring them on, Neymar came close again, twisting inside his marker and firing in a left-foot shot which Ochoa blocked with his chest.

In the dying minutes Brazilian captain Thiago Silva looked certain to score with a point-blank header but again Ochoa was in the right place to beat the ball away.

Despite their setback, Brazil will be confident of booking their place in the last 16 by taking points from Cameroon.

The Mexicans, meanwhile, will feel their chaotic qualifying campaign is behind them and that they can get a point from Croatia to put them into the knock-out stages for the sixth consecutive World Cup. (Reuters)

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Brazilians hit by sticker fever as World Cup nears

Brazilians hit by sticker fever as World Cup nears -- World Cup sticker frenzy has swept Brazil like never before.

Brazilians have long been avid fans of World Cup sticker albums. This year, however, there's added motivation with soccer's showcase event starting at home on June 12.

Everybody is talking stickers, from kids to adults, students to doctors. Even Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

Fans have set up trading places in front of stadiums, plazas and bookstores to swap their stickers in hopes of completing their sets. Some are hardcore collectors. Others are helping their kids or just there for the thrill of it.

Brazil led all countries in sales during the 2010 World Cup and this time numbers are already better than they were four years ago, according to the FIFA-picked company in charge of the album, Italy-based Panini. The stickers are sold in more than 100 nations, with South America being the top market. Germany and Switzerland were the top countries in sales after Brazil in 2010, Panini said.

''The last time I did this was when I was just a little kid, but with the World Cup coming to Brazil there was no way I was going to pass up on this one,'' said 32-year-old Fernando da Silva, who was trying to complete his second album at a trading point in front of the Pacaembu Stadium in Sao Paulo. ''The World Cup is here and this album will be historic. This brings back all memories from when I used to swap stickers with my friends at school.''

Collectors exchange World Cup stickers for their albums at a trading table outside the Pacaembu stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, May 10, 2014. Brazil led all countries in sticker sales during the 2010 World Cup and this time numbers are already better than they were four years ago, according to the FIFA-picked company in charge of the album, Italy-based Panini. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Hundreds of people have been going to the Pacaembu every weekend, as well as to other trading places across Brazil's largest city, including supermarkets, cafes and malls. The city's main art museum, MASP, is one of the most popular places for enthusiasts, attracting groups of teenagers, couples and entire families looking to swap their stickers.

There are many Internet groups devoted to people wanting to swap their stickers, and countless apps are at the disposal of fans looking for those hard-to-come-by stickers. There's even a virtual album created by Panini.

''This time it has been really easy to find the stickers because everybody has an album,'' said Inez Carvalho Oliveira, a 28-year-old pediatrician who was at the Pacaembu to try to find the 13 stickers still needed for her album.

Right next to her, 60-year-old Jucileia Lobato hastily gazed through a pack of duplicates, checking the missing numbers from her list.

''I started helping my grandkids when they bought the album because of the World Cup, and I liked it so much that I decided to buy one for myself,'' she said, still looking at the stickers. ''But I have to hurry because my husband is waiting in the car. ... I just want to find a few more stickers.''

A young collector mouths a World Cup sticker while he contemplates a trade at a trading place outside the Pacaembu stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, May 10, 2014. Brazil led all countries in sticker sales during the 2010 World Cup and this time numbers are already better than they were four years ago, according to the FIFA-picked company in charge of the album, Italy-based Panini. The stickers are sold in more than 100 nations, with South America being the top market. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

President Rousseff told journalists she is helping her 3-year-old grandson complete his set.

This year's album hasn't been free of controversy, however. Some fans were upset that nine stickers from sponsors were put on sale in Brazil, and Panini was forced to release a statement saying it would exchange them for other stickers at no cost.

The 649 stickers needed to complete the 80-page album include some players who won't actually be at the World Cup, as well as photos of unfinished venues thanks to Brazil's delayed preparations. Brazil is one of the squads with mistakes - Robinho's sticker was included in the album but he was not picked for the World Cup team. The same happened to Ronaldinho's sticker in 2010.

Panini has been in charge of the official World Cup album since the 1970 tournament in Mexico. It has two printing facilities, one in Brazil to handle sales for the Latin American market and another in Italy to handle sales for the rest of the world.

FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil said the album gives soccer's governing body a way to ''promote the FIFA World Cup and fuel fans' excitement ahead of the event all over the world.''

A woman and her son organize their World Cup stickers' album at a trading table outside the Pacaembu stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, May 10, 2014. The frenzy over the World Cup sticker album has taken over Brazil like never before. Some are hardcore collectors, others are doing it just for the fun of it. Some are helping their kids, others are challenging their work colleagues. Fans have set up trading places in front of stadiums, plazas and bookstores to swap their stickers and try to complete their set. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

''It has been very pleasing to see the interest from fans in collecting the stickers,'' he said, adding that more than 1 million users had already signed up for the virtual album alone.

In Brazil, Panini said it distributed 6.5 million free albums in marketing actions that began in April. FIFA said in a video on its website that fans would need to purchase 4,505 stickers to ensure a complete album. Each pack with five stickers costs 1 real in Brazil, or about 45 cents.

''These albums bring people together,'' said 55-year-old computer science specialist Jan Mascarenhas, who was ''a South Korean player away'' from completing his set. ''We are swapping stickers but we are also swapping experiences.''

Mascarenhas' missing player, sticker No. 628, Shin Kwang-Hoon, didn't even make South Korea's World Cup squad.

''I don't know anything about the guy, but I need him badly,'' he said. ( The Associated Press )

READ MORE - Brazilians hit by sticker fever as World Cup nears

Adidas pulls ‘sexualised’ World Cup T-shirts

Adidas pulls ‘sexualised’ World Cup T-shirts - Brazil's tourism board has asked Adidas to stop selling two controversial T-shirts ahead of this year's World Cup, saying they encourage sexual tourism. 

One shirt shows a bikini-clad woman with open arms on a sunny Rio de Janeiro beach under the word-play 'Looking to Score.' The other has an 'I love Brazil' heart resembling the upside-down buttocks of a woman wearing a thong bikini bottom. 

Adidas, the world's second-largest sportswear maker, said the shirts would not be sold any more, adding in a statement that they were from a limited edition that was only on sale in the United States. 

The shirt designs have touched a nerve in Brazil, where people often complain about foreign stereotypes of Brazilian sensuality. Brazil's government is campaigning aggressively to shed the country's reputation as a destination for sex tourism. 

"Embratur strongly repudiates the sale of products that link Brazil's image to sexual appeal," the Brazilian tourism board said in a statement that asked the German multinational to pull the shirts from its stores. 

The shirts went on sale in Adidas shops in the United States while Brazil is preparing to host the World Cup, which kicks off on June 12. 

Adidas is one of the main sponsors of the event organised by FIFA and the maker of its official ball. 

President Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's first woman president, said her government would crack down on sex tourism and the exploitation of children and adolescents during the Cup, which is expected to draw 600,000 foreign fans. 

"Brazil is happy to receive tourists for the World Cup, but it is also ready to combat sex tourism," she said in a burst of Twitter messages that included a hot line number to report cases of sexual exploitation. 

The ministry of women's affairs said the shirts were not just offensive to Brazilian women but exposed them to the "barbarism" of sexual predators. 

"This is all the more shocking in a country that just elected a women as its highest authority, which brought greater respect for women and zero tolerance for any form of violence against them," a ministry statement said. ( Reuters )

READ MORE - Adidas pulls ‘sexualised’ World Cup T-shirts

Blatter says World Cup problems are under control

Blatter says World Cup problems are under control - Problems with Brazil's World Cup venues are under control with just 100 days to go before the first match kicks off, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Tuesday.

"One hundred days; It's a long way to go, and it's a short way to go if there are still problems," the Swiss told fifa.com in a video to mark the occasion.

"But now all problems are under control and it will be in 100 days an exceptional good start for an exceptional competition."

Brazil is racing against time to complete stadiums, airports, communications infrastructure and transportation systems as the June 12 opening day approaches.

 

FIFA President Sepp Blatter speaks during a news conference at FIFA Club World Cup soccer tournament in Marrakech December 19, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said at the weekend that the world body faced a huge challenge following delays in building stadiums.

The Sao Paulo stadium that hosts the opening match is not due to be ready until May while other stadiums in Curitiba and Manaus remain unfinished.

One survey in February showed the number of Brazilians who favoured hosting the tournament had fallen to an all-time low, with many criticising it as a waste of money.

Support has waned since protests broke out in June last year against poor public services and the high cost of building stadiums, but Blatter was confident Brazilians would embrace the Cup when the time came.

Brazil, said Blatter, was "the country of football, and they will receive this competition with open arms and full of their heart".

"The Brazilian spirit of the game and the Brazilian ability to play football makes this World Cup very, very special," he added.

"Now everybody is expecting in Brazil that Brazil will bring home this World Cup. I am sure it will be a great, great success."

Brazil, who last hosted the tournament in 1950, are the only nation to have won the Cup five times and also the only ones to have played in every finals. (Reuters)

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FIFA keeps Brazil city in World Cup despite delays

FIFA keeps Brazil city in World Cup despite delays — A southern Brazilian city will host matches during this year's World Cup despite serious problems with a stadium renovation that put it on the brink of becoming the first venue ever to be kicked out because of delays, FIFA said Tuesday.

Despite the decision to keep Curitiba in the tournament, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke warned that construction remains "very late" and said there is a very tight timeline to get the stadium ready.

 

The Arena da Baixada continues under construction in Curitiba, Brazil, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014. FIFA and Brazilian organizers are doing everything possible to keep the southern city of Curitiba in the World Cup soccer stadium despite a significant delay in stadium construction, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said on Friday. (AP Photo/Denis Ferreira Netto) 

FIFA said the decision was made because of "financial guarantees, the commitment by all stakeholders" and progress in renovation work.

"There is no other decision you can make (other) than keeping the city," Valcke said at a news conference. "Curitiba understood the information and the pressure that we put on three weeks ago."

He said the work done since then "gives us the confidence that, again, the stadium will be very late, but we will have a stadium for the World Cup."

The secretary general last month gave local organizers an ultimatum: Drastically speed up construction or be dropped from the tournament. He reiterated on Tuesday that local officials must keep the pace of construction at a high level.

"The pressure is there; day-to-day monitoring is there," Valcke said.

FIFA now expects the stadium to be ready in mid-May, only a month before the World Cup opening match in Sao Paulo on June 12. At least two test events are expected before that date, and the temporary structures needed outside the venue will be built while work continues inside the stadium.

"For this decision to take effect, this new pace of construction has to be maintained," Brazil's deputy sports minister, Luis Fernandes, said. "The monitoring will continue."

"Would it have been better to have the stadium ready in late December? It would have been better, of course," Fernandes said. "At the end of the day, we will have to learn from the lessons that led to the delays in Curitiba."

While Curitiba remains in the tournament with 11 other cities, the issue over the pace of construction highlights the severe organizational problems that Brazil has had to overcome since 2007, when it won the right to host this year's World Cup.

Officials in Brazil want to use the tournament to highlight the nation's advances. But widespread anti-government protests that question the billions being spent on the tournament, along with delays in preparations, have hurt Brazil's image.

FIFA's decision came just hours after Charles Botta, who reports to the federation's top management on the progress of all stadiums, made a final inspection in Curitiba. Valcke said local officials presented a 36-page report showing progress made and detailed next steps for the stadium's construction.

"Valcke was very harsh on us in the beginning, but now we see that it was needed so we could get back on track," said Celso Cunha, one of the local officials in charge of Curitiba's World Cup preparations.

The delays in Curitiba have been surprising. The city is widely considered the most advanced in Brazil, with an efficient transportation system and urban planning praised by the United Nations and others for being environmentally friendly.

But organizers in the city ran out of money and had difficulties securing additional financing to finish the work. Fernandes said local officials were eventually able to comply with FIFA'S major demands — to increase the number of workers and guarantee needed financing for completion of construction.

Brazil has had seven years to get ready, but with four months left, five stadiums remain under construction, including Curitiba. Brazil had promised FIFA to have all venues ready by the end of last year.

"This should have been ample time in which to complete the infrastructure," FIFA President Sepp Blatter said recently. He added that Brazil was the nation "farthest behind" in preparations that he'd seen in his four decades of experience with FIFA.

Among the teams set to play in Curitiba is defending World Cup champion Spain, which will face Australia on June 23. The other matches at the venue are Iran-Nigeria on June 16, Algeria-Russia on June 26 and Honduras-Ecuador on June 30. ( Associated Press )

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Ronaldo is back in the spotlight

Spotlight falls on Ronaldo at Sao Paulo carnival - Nicknamed the Phenomenon for goalscoring exploits which won him the World Cup with Brazil, Ronaldo is back in the spotlight; this time as a theme of the Sao Paulo carnival.

The Gavioes da Fiel samba school have chosen the former Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan star as their theme to mark the fact the Cup is returning to Brazil for the first time in 64 years.

In their parade the group will pay homage to Ronaldo's stellar career from his childhood in a poor Rio suburb to his sporting triumphs, inspiring millions of Brazilian youngsters by becoming a global star.

- Little bird takes wing -

In the parade, he will be shown as a little bird who takes wing to taste the heights of sporting glory.

As if Brazilians didn't already know after his 2002 World Cup exploits, the samba school chanted in unison during a visit from AFP: "He is our phenomenon! Our idol! We love him!"

Fact file on the 2014 Rio Carnival from February 28 to March 4 (AFP Photo/)

One cried out: "I saw all his matches!"

The Gavioes da Fiel school was founded by fans of Corinthians, one of Brazil's most popular soccer clubs and where Ronaldo played between 2009 and 2011 before hanging up his boots.

Children, adolescents and adults -- grandparents too -- have been flocking to rehearsals at the Anhembi sambadrome ready for their March 1 parade.

Conditions have cooled in recent days in Sao Paulo after a January heatwave brought record temperatures.

As the official start of festivities nears, the festive atmosphere is starting to take hold: percussionists pound out a samba rhythm.

Dancers of the Gavioes da Fiel samba school rehearse at the Sambadrome in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on February 16, 2014 (AFP Photo/Nelson Almeida)

"I am delighted Ronaldo is this year's theme. He is closely associated with Corinthians, with our history," says Rosina Chiapetta, 42, who is overseeing one of the school's dance groups.

Since retiring, Ronaldo, scorer of a record 15 World Cup goals, has put on weight and been suffering the effects of knee injuries which robbed him of a chunk of his career.

He was also involved in a scandal when he was intercepted by police entertaining transvestites at a motel.

But choreographer Zilkson Reis says the focus will be a positive one.

"It will be a homage to the Phenomenon, a source of Brazilian pride. We are going to tell his life story in verse and prose, carnival and fantasy, the story of a lad who conquered the world," Reis said.

A member of the Gavioes da Fiel samba school works on a float in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on February 7, 2014 (AFP Photo/Nelson Almeida)

"He spread his wings and flew, the child-bird was transformed and crowned on the international stage; Ronaldo, phenomenal," the samba school belt out at the top of their voices.

- Giving it their all -

Four thousand members of the school will parade this year.

The school has already won four titles and is now looking for its own "pentacampeao" -- to match the five World Cup titles Brazil has won.

Come July, the national side have the chance to make it a round half-dozen titles -- hexacampeao in Portuguese.

A member of the Gavioes da Fiel samba school works on a float in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on February 7, 2014 (AFP Photo/Nelson Almeida)

Day after day since October, ignoring the heat, around 100 workers have been toiling away at the giant hangar where the school will parade in their luxurious decorative floats, some standing around 15 meters (50 feet) high.

From soldering iron, making, sticking together or painting wooden or polystyrene models or else sewing on ribbons, the group has labored devotedly away, carefully readying the floats.

"I hope he will like the homage we'll give him," says Simone Huk, a Corinthians fan working on her third year of carnival preparations.

She is sat in front of a huge ventilator, carefully sticking meters and meters of golden ribbon onto what will form the wings of birds on the floats.

"We are working really hard -- but the emotion of seeing all that in the parade is really very palpable," says the 44-year-old.

Ronaldo, 37, will himself take his place on the final float and receive the crowd's acclaim. (AFP)

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Cat Zingano's wild 'vacation' in Thailand shows her eagerness to face, conquer fears

Cat Zingano's wild 'vacation' in Thailand shows her eagerness to face, conquer fears – Some people go on vacation and visit historic sights or play a few rounds of golf. For her vacation, though, Cat Zingano traveled halfway around the world to learn a bit of Muay Thai boxing in the country where it originated and, despite zero experience, wound up taking a pro fight. 

On Saturday, she'll face Miesha Tate on the main card of "The Ultimate Fighter Finale," with an opportunity to coach opposite UFC women's champion Ronda Rousey in the next season of TUF going to the winner. 

Cat Zingano clinches during a professional Muay Thai fight in Thailand. (Credit: ZinganoBJJ.com)

The Mandalay Bay Events Center, where Zingano will meet Tate in the most important bout of her fighting career, is thousands of miles away and light years removed from the tiny, filthy gym in Thailand where Zingano unexpectedly took a professional Muay Thai fight last year. 

Zingano, her husband, Maurice, and their son, Brayden, went to Thailand for vacation last summer. An All-American wrestler at Cumberland College and MacMurray College, Cat Zingano was going to teach a seminar on takedowns in jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts. 

Cat Zingano plays with her son, Brayden, during a seminar. (Courtesy: ZinganoBJJ.com)

She and her husband, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, were given coupons for Muay Thai classes, which she eagerly snapped up. 

"It was such a great opportunity, to learn Muay Thai in Thailand," she said. "I thought it would be so neat to see the whole ambiance of it. My husband, he was more into the vacation part of it. He was there to relax and have fun. But I had to take advantage of being in Muay Thai and learning about it there." 

It wasn't like she went down to the local 24 Hour Fitness and took a class, though. She immersed herself into the training so deeply that her coach urged her to take a pro fight before she returned home. The surroundings should have told her this would not be the kind of fight she was used to taking, but Zingano is nothing if not adventurous. 

She took the bout and now has a story for years to come. 

Her coach was smoking and drinking a beer as he wrapped her hands and prepared her for the fight. The dressing room was filled with bloodstains on the wall and looked like it had never been cleaned. The odor was nauseating. 

"I'll bet if someone got murdered in there, you'd never find out who did it," she said, chuckling. "It was pretty gnarly. I didn't take off my sandals for the warm-up because of the floor. There was cigarettes all over and spit and blood and who knows what else. It smelled awful." 

It would have been one thing for a professional Muay Thai fighter to be in those surroundings, preparing to fight. Zingano, though, was on vacation with her family and had as much experience fighting Muay Thai as the barista at the local Starbucks. 

The ring and the ropes were similarly filthy. She wound up with a Staph infection in her armpit after putting her arm over the rope during the fight. 

Cat Zingano wrestles with a training partner. (Courtesy: ZinganoBJJ.com) 

"At some point, I went for an elbow on her and the rope ended up under my arm pit," Zingano said. "We continued to fight, but it turns out a couple of days later, I wound up with this gnarly Staph infection in my armpit and I had to go to all these different pharmacies to try to figure out how to get rid of it. 

"It took two weeks to get rid of it. I can't imagine how much DNA was on that rope. They didn't wipe it down between fights and I'm sure they didn't at the end of the night. It was pretty disgusting." 

Given that she got through that experience – with a knockout win via a knee to the head – she's unlikely to be fazed by the lofty stakes in her UFC debut. In Tate, she's meeting the UFC's second-most famous fighter with the TUF coaching gig and a title shot against Rousey on the line. 

UFC president Dana White frequently speaks of the jitters fighters face before their UFC debuts, but if Zingano didn't get rattled fighting Muay Thai in Thailand with no experience, it's a pretty good bet that she'll be relaxed as she climbs into the Octagon to fight Tate. 

"My background is in jiu-jitsu and wrestling, so to go to a situation [in Thailand] where I wasn't comfortable and I hadn't had years of training, it helped me to conquer my fears," she said. "I was in a situation where I had to stand up the entire fight, and that's not what I had done at that point. I had to throw heavy leather. I needed to learn to improvise, because I knew if I got tired, I couldn't go to the ground, which had been my comfort zone. 

"I forced myself to do that and, as a result, I increased my faith in my capabilities as a fighter," she said. "Now I know, if someone takes all these things I'm comfortable with [as a fighter] and that I like about my style away from me, I know I can still succeed. I proved that to myself under the most difficult circumstances imaginable." 

Zingano has great respect for Tate and what she's accomplished as a fighter, but the one thing she is certain of is that she won't be awed by Tate's skills. 

Though it's her UFC debut, nothing will be shocking for Zingano after what she went through in Thailand. 

"I'm going to go out and be myself and be aggressive and have fun and do what I do," she said. "If I had any doubts, I know from [Thailand] that I have the heart. I'm really looking forward to the experience."

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