Will Brazil's Cup spotlight burn too bright?

Will Brazil's Cup spotlight burn too bright?  — Brazil's day has finally arrived.

The sun rose Thursday on a tropical nation hosting its first World Cup in 64 years. Nearly half the world's population, well over 3 billion spectators, is expected to watch soccer's premier event and get a glimpse of the country that in two years will host the Summer Olympics.

But just hours before play begins, it still isn't clear which Brazil we'll see.

Will it be the irreverent nation known for its festive, freewheeling spirit? Or the country that for the past year has been a hotbed of fury over poor public services, discontent over a political system widely viewed as corrupt, and deep anger over the $11.5 billion spent on hosting the World Cup?

By mid-morning, it looked like it would be both. Small protests broke out in Sao Paulo and Rio, but the streets were overwhelmingly filled with fans ready for festivities.

"The world is going to see multitudes cheering for soccer — but also demanding that our country change," Helen Santos, a school teacher, said as she walked home in Rio de Janeiro. "The world needs to see that we're a serious country. We're not just a nation of soccer, but a country striving and demanding the government provide better education and health care. The world needs to see the reality of Brazil, not just the sport."

Soccer will take the spotlight when play begins with Brazil and Croatia meeting in Sao Paulo on Thursday. Brazilians are hungry to see their soccer juggernaut deliver a record sixth World Cup crown to a nation desiring something — anything — to celebrate after enduring a year of grueling protests and strikes.

Police in Sao Paulo used tear gas to disperse a small group of anti-World Cup protesters who tried to march on a main roadway. Striking airport workers in Rio de Janeiro temporarily blocked the main highway leading from the airport into the city. More protests are called or in both Rio and Sao Paulo, along with at least five other cities. It wasn't clear how large the demonstrations might be.

Street protests have lessened in size since last year when Brazilians staged raucous rallies against the government, overshadowing the Confederations Cup soccer tournament. On one night, about a million people spontaneously spilled into the streets of various cities. For two weeks, dozens of places were roiled by unrest.

Whether Brazilians have moved past such mass disruption is uncertain.

"I hope the soccer outshines the protests, but I also know there remains a climate of anger," said Edson Carvalho, an office assistant watching 10 barefoot young men play a pick-up soccer match in Rio's Botafogo neighborhood. "What will the world see? I'm waiting to find out myself."

FILE - In this June 30, 2013, file photo Military police fire tear gas at protestors near Maracana stadium where Brazil and Spain are playing the final Confederations Cup soccer match in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Last year’s spontaneous eruption of anger that sent a million protesters into the streets on a single night and roiled dozens of cities for two weeks, few in Brazil are willing to forecast whether a repeat mass airing of angst could occur during the World Cup that opens on June 12. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo, File)

In 2007, when FIFA named Brazil as the host nation for the 2014 World Cup, the country's folksy and immensely popular president at the time, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, told a celebratory gathering in Zurich he would return home filled with joy — but also feeling the burden that comes with hosting the world's biggest sporting event.

"At the heart of the matter, we're here assuming as a nation, as the Brazilian state, to prove to the world ... that we're one of those nations that has achieved stability," Silva said then. "Yes, we're a country that has many problems, but we're a nation with men determined to resolve those problems."

Silva added that he "wanted to assure FIFA officials" that Brazil would prove able to put on a great Cup.

Seven years on, as the global spotlight finally shines on Brazil, the world will see a great sporting event, with soccer returning to one of its most passionate cores, on a continent that relishes the game.

But the glare also will glow on those problems Silva referred to, the lingering ills that have not gone away ( Associated Press )

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Horse Racing - Horse dies over Grand National fences

Horse Racing - Horse dies over Grand National fences - The first race of the Aintree Festival to be run over the Grand National's fences was overshadowed by the death of a horse.

Katie Walsh's mount Battlefront, trained by her father Ted, collapsed and died during the Fox Hunter's Chase after being pulled up at the 11th fence.

Katie Walsh, who hopes to become the first woman to win the Grand National on Saturday, tweeted of her sadness.

"Very sad to lose Battlefront today. We had many great days and he was a great teacher. He was a gent and I will miss him very much," she said.

Eurosport - General view Aintree

Her father had said earlier in the week that horses were treated "better than some children".

The Fox Hunter's is considered the biggest race for amateur jockeys.

"I would like to extend our sympathies to the Walsh family following the sad news," said John Baker, Aintree and North West Regional director for Jockey Club Racecourses.

"You can never remove risk from all horse racing, as with any sport. However, welfare standards are very high [in Britain] and equine fatalities are rare."

The race was surprisingly won by 100-1 shot Tartan Snow.

Fourteen of the 25 starters in the race finished.

It came on the same day that top trainer Jonjo O'Neill hit out at animals rights activists for trying to get the Grand National banned, telling them that they "just don't understand".

Two horses have died in each of the last two years at the race, leading to increasingly loud calls from campaigners to put an end to the world's most famous National Hunt event.

O'Neill knows only too well about the regular fatalities at Aintree: last year he watched in horror as his horse Synchronised, who had won the Cheltenham Gold Cup the previous month, suffered a fatal fall.

But the Irishman told The Times that those who criticise British racing's showpiece event do not know what they are talking about.

"It's always been a fantastic race and it still is," said O'Neill, who trained 2010 National winner Don't Push It.

"People saying the National should be stopped just don't understand.

"We are all in racing because we love the horses, but we take things to heart.

"Some of the things said about us are a bloody insult, as if we are animals ourselves.

"There are people out there stabbing and shooting, killing randomly, and sometimes it seems we are being put in the same bracket."

Recent deaths have prompted several changes to the course, and there will be more this year as the start has been moved forward 90 yards while timber frames in the fences have been removed.

But the changes have always seemingly been to little avail: safety improvements began in earnest after the 1989 race saw two horses killed, yet since then horses have continued to die in the race at an average of one a year.

Jockeys in the Fox Hunters' Chase were positive about the changes.

Jamie Hamilton, 18, won the race on Tartan Snow and said: "It's the first time I have ridden over them but they seemed spot on."

Sam Waley-Cohen, who rode Cottage Oak, told the BBC: "They are still big obstacles and are a test for horse and jockey."

Eurosport – 16 hours ago

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