Protests could disrupt Brazil`s World Cup quest : Scolari
People protesting against the World Cup or in favour of more social spending could harm the country`s chances of winning the tournament, Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari said on Sunday.
Sao Paulo: People protesting against the World Cup or in favour of more social spending could harm the country`s chances of winning the tournament, Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari said on Sunday.
Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians took to the streets during last year`s Confederations Cup to protest World Cup spending and a lack of infrastructure investment.
Smaller scale protests are still occurring in the country, which will host the June 12-July 13 tournament for the first time since 1950.
Scolari said he was not against demonstrations but the World Cup was not the best time for his players to be confronted with any outside issues.
"I think protests can happen," Scolari said in an interview on Fantastico, a popular television show. "If they are normal, without smashing things up, then that is democracy.
"But I don`t know if it`s the right time.
"They are Brazil players and they have one mission. They can think, they can express themselves, they can say `I want a better Brazil, too`, but I don`t want it to be something that causes problems in our environment."
When asked if protests could affect the players, Scolari replied: "It could, big time."
There is concern that protestors will try to disrupt some of the 64 World Cup matches after they marched towards the stadia used in last year`s Confederations Cup.
They were often held back by riot police using dogs, percussion grenades and tear gas and police have undergone further training to make sure there is no repeat.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.