Brazil

The Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, conceded that work on a large cluster of venues for the 2016 summer Olympic Games is behind schedule as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reminded local organisers of Sochi’s “meticulous planning” for its winter Games when a three-day inspection visit commenced in the Brazilian city.

Football

Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke has said the completion of temporary infrastructure represents Brazil’s biggest challenge in its preparations for this summer’s World Cup, adding that organisers are now engaged in a “race” to ensure work is completed for the football showpiece.

Football
Events

Rio de Janeiro will introduce three public holidays during the 2014 Fifa World Cup in order to ease traffic congestion on key days during the international football tournament.

Football
Stadia

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A football club Atletico Paranaense has strenuously denied that money for construction work on Curitiba’s under-fire stadium for the 2014 Fifa World Cup was moved to pay for a player.

US sportswear company Under Armour has announced an expansion into Brazil ahead of the 2014 Fifa World Cup and 2016 summer Olympic Games in the country.

Football
Business

Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke has aimed another rebuke at local organisers of the 2014 World Cup, stating that delays in stadium development have left world football’s governing body with a major challenge.
Events

The 2014 MotoGP season will return to an 18-race calendar after the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) dropped a planned new race in Brazil.

Football

Brazil’s President, Dilma Rousseff, has said the country’s armed forces could be drafted to help contain possible violent protests during the 2014 Fifa World Cup football tournament.

Football
Events

Fifa is revising its plans for ‘Fan Fests’ during this summer’s World Cup in Brazil to accommodate for the threat of possible civil unrest during the football showpiece.

Football
Stadia

Fifa has announced that Curitiba will retain its status as a host city for the 2014 World Cup after Brazilian organisers demonstrated that a “comprehensive recovery plan” was in place to deliver the city’s stadium and other infrastructure.

Football

Castrol has signed a one-year global brand ambassador deal with Brazil and Barcelona football star Neymar, an agreement that is set to complement the lubricant company’s status as an official sponsor of Brazil’s staging of the 2014 Fifa World Cup.

Football

Local organisers overseeing Cuiabá’s preparations for the 2014 Fifa World Cup have insisted the city’s stadium will stage its test events as planned, amid reports that an October fire at the venue caused more damage than was originally disclosed.

Mixed Martial Arts

Leaders will welcome UFC joint owner Lorenzo Fertitta to London for a one-off breakfast event on March 6, when he will explore the future landscape of sport and changing behaviour of consumers.

Football

Brazilian Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo has expressed his confidence that Curitiba is on course to avoid being dropped as a host venue for the 2014 Fifa World Cup national football team tournament.
Business

The 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on March 26, following the cancellation of the planned event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Organisers of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro summer Olympics announced today (Tuesday) that a budget of R$5.6bn (€1.7bn/$2.3bn) has been set aside for Games-specific infrastructure projects.

Para Sport
Business

The operating budget for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro summer Olympic and Paralympic Games has increased to R7bn (€2.2bn/$3bn), organisers announced yesterday (Thursday) evening.

Football

Deputy Sports Minister Luis Fernandes has said the Brazilian government has implemented emergency measures to avoid the threat of Curitiba being dropped as a venue for the 2014 Fifa World Cup football tournament.