Blatter wants to impose the Federal Republic of FIFA.

Rodolfo Borges_247 – The name is Brazil, but you can call it the Federal Republic of FIFA. Depending on the International Federation of Football, between June 12th and July 13th, 2014, this country will be governed by its president, Joseph Blatter. At least that's what the General Law of the World Cup, which began being discussed in the National Congress this week, foresees. If approved as it was submitted to parliamentarians, the law will allow FIFA to establish arbitration tribunals in Brazil parallel to our justice system and allow foreigners to enter the country without a visa.

In its article 26 (chapter III), the law guarantees that “entry visas will be granted, without any restriction as to nationality, race or creed, to” (...) “spectators who possess valid tickets or confirmation of ticket purchase for any Event”. The legislation considers “a valid passport (...) together with any instrument that demonstrates their connection with the Events” as sufficient documentation for obtaining an entry visa or for entry into the national territory.

According to Henrique Sartori, an expert in International Law, this measure, among others proposed by FIFA, is reckless. “We could face illegal immigration and work. It’s a matter of public order,” he warns. “Brazil has a specific law on visas and the transit of foreigners that is well-established and structured. In this case, the best option would be to grant these visas through specific work programs, in partnership with embassies and consulates,” suggests the expert from the Millenium Institute.

According to the expert, increased involvement of the Brazilian state would also be the best solution as an alternative to creating temporary special courts during the World Cup. FIFA demands swift justice during the sporting event, but the model of special courts adopted during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa caused controversy by producing swift convictions and reserving different treatment for black and white people. "The best approach in this case would be to establish agreements to deploy mobile units, putting courts at the service of the event," comments Sartori.

And the controversies surrounding the legislation that parliamentarians must grapple with until the beginning of next year don't end there. The Brazilian Institute for Consumer Protection (Idec) pointed out that the General Law of the World Cup allows the federation to stipulate a penalty clause in contracts with fans in case of withdrawal or cancellation of the purchased ticket, which means that the federation can impose penalties (such as imprisonment and fines) on the consumer. Also included in this discussion are the issues of half-price tickets and the authorization of alcohol sales in stadiums. All of this has already motivated the presentation of dozens of parliamentary amendments.

South Africa

According to experts, it would be an exaggeration to compare Brazil's case with that of South Africa – on whom FIFA managed to impose most of its demands. “In Brazil, the weight is different. Our institutional level is different. The institutions are stronger,” assures Sartori, who nevertheless acknowledges that it is important to meet FIFA's demands, even if it means presenting alternatives. Germany, Japan, France, and the United States, which hosted the last World Cups, managed to meet the demands without relinquishing their sovereignty. Will we be able to do that?