Nadav Neuman for Aljazeera

FIFA Congress: Most Intriguing Committee at JHUMUNC?

  by Nadav Neuman 

At the Johns Hopkins University Model United Nations Conference (JHUMUNC), there are various committees that spark a genuine interest for many people. The FIFA Congress is one such committee. At first glimpse, one may inquire if the FIFA Congress is simply about football. After all, FIFA stands for “Federation Internationale de Football Association”. However, it is about a lot more than just soccer and makes for a much more interesting committee than it may seem.

One of the topics the FIFA Congress at JHUMUNC will be focusing on is the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. There has been major controversy of late surrounding the nation of Brazil and the World Cup as a whole. During the conference, Congress will be discussing the specifics of planning and preparation for the event. Brazil has been under global scrutiny for the lack of preparation as well as the accidents during the building of the stadiums for the world’s most viewed sporting event. On November 27, 2013, the preparations for the World Cup faced a major setback. Part of the Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, collapsed, resulting in two deaths. This stadium is the one that will host the World Cup opener on June 12, which will feature Brazil’s national soccer team. Brazil has been plagued with numerous other setbacks that have slowed the nation’s preparation and planning for the event. What was once seen as a chance for Brazil, South America’s largest country, to break out of its shell and show itself as a world power is now looking less promising after the series of setbacks. Financial issues, stadium accidents like this one, labor disagreements and street protests are some of the various setbacks threatening Brazil’s preparation for June’s World Cup. FIFA gave Brazil a December 2013 deadline to have all 12 stadiums finished and ready for safety inspections. Brazil failed to meet the deadline on six of their stadiums. FIFA President Sepp Blatter said that no host country has been so far behind in his tenure as president. 

This is an incredibly interesting situation considering the 2022 World Cup is being hosted in Qatar. Qatar will not only be the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup, but also any global sporting event. Qatar, along with FIFA, recently announced that the World Cup in 2022 would be hosted during the winter, not the summer like it normally is, due to the extreme heat during the summer in Qatar, which can be dangerous for the players. It will be interesting to see how Qatar will handle the preparation and planning for the event. 

With less than 5 months until the opening ceremony of the 2014 World Cup, Brazil is under extreme pressure, considering the circumstances. Over 715 million people tuned in to watch the final match of the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa broadcasted to over 200 countries. In 2014, all eyes will certainly be on Brazil as they prepare for the 2014 World Cup and take the main stage in the world. FIFA Congress at JHUMUNC will therefore be one of the most intriguing committees because of the lingering question that remains: will Brazil be ready come June 12?