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Brazil: FIFA violates national laws and rights of football fans says consumer organisation

FIFA violates the national rights and laws of Brazil in its document to host cities, says Brazilian consumer organisation IDEC.

The Brazilian Institute of Consumer Defense (IDEC) has launched a campaign to ensure that the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) does not sell out the rights of consumers, especially the most vulnerable ones, during the next World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

The Local Organising Committee of the World Cup delivered a bill proposal last week to the cities hosting the 2014 World Cup that favours the interests of FIFA in relation to the sporting event.

In nine bullet points, the document states that FIFA will be the only entity to decide what will be sold in stadiums and that all local laws in Brazil that are at odds with FIFA's text will not be applicable at the event. The idea is that cities hosting the World Cup matches create a law based on the FIFA proposal.

 

Violation of national rights and laws

To IDEC, it is cut and dry that FIFA wants to put an end to the rights of the game's fans and to Brazilian consumers. According to the Minister of Sport in Brazil, Orlando Silva, "FIFA asked us to suspend specific legislation related to the elderly, fans and the Consumer Protection Code." IDEC finds this unacceptable, saying "no case justifies the violation of constitutional rights [or] violating existing national laws."

IDEC has created a special campaign webpage for fans and consumers to send a message to the President of FIFA, Joseph Blatter, and to the Minister of Sport and the Minister for Justice, as well as to the President of the Local Organising Committee.

 

Threats

The message that fans and consumers can send also points out the following problems with the FIFA bill proposal (known as the General Law of the Cup):

• The possible cancellation of half price tickets for students and seniors
• The end of protection for consumers by offering a refund in the event of a cancellation
• Cancellations and schedule or seat changes without notice to fans
• Approval of product bundling tickets - a practice considered abusive in Brazil
• An annulment of the right to change-of-mind refunds of tickets made online.

"We have to show that FIFA is not above the laws of Brazil," said IDEC on launching its campaign.

What consumers demand

IDEC says that Brazilian fans and consumers do not support the suspension of the Consumer Protection Code or various statutes in yielding to the interests of FIFA. Therefore, the message that fans can send online from the campaign website asks for the following measures:

• Guaranteed half price entry for students and seniors
• FIFA to take full responsibility for any damage caused to fans and consumers, according to the Consumer Protection Code of Brazil
• Prohibition of the creation of exclusive zones for commercial operation by FIFA in the city
• Respect for workers and small traders to avoid a trading monopoly by FIFA around the stadium
• Establishment of the rights and responsibilities of FIFA during the period of validity of the bill
• The FIFA bill must show explicit support for the Consumer Protection Code and statutes of Brazil.

Visit the IDEC campaign calling on FIFA to respect Brazilian consumer laws "Lei Geral da Copa: Copa sem direitos não dá jogo" (The General Law of the Cup: a World Cup without rights is not a match) (in Portuguese only).