One World Sports: Credibility at Stake for UEFA, 50 Days to Brazil




Beyond The Pitch show

Summary: Two more fabulous contributors join this weekly edition to explore perhaps the two biggest stories in world football at the moment as UEFA now makes its first turn into the enforcement stage of Financial Fair Play with the fate of some big club names held in the balance while the country of Brazil struggles to meet expectations for a World Cup now only 50 days away amid delays in staging the greatest spectacle in sport. First up is Daniel Geey of Field Fisher Waterhouse of London to examine the enforcement details for UEFA Financial Fair Play to provide further clarity in the task before the Club Financial Control Board and how a number of settlement provisions now outlined in Articles 15 and 16 could touch off even more skepticism and procedural nightmares for the organizing body. We also explore the issues of financial doping, a challenge to FFP before the EU and how some of the offending clubs might be dealt with including the real and potential step of excluding some teams from European competition in 2014-15. In part two of this show TV Globo commentator Bira Brasil joins the show to discuss the on the ground readiness for the World Cup in broad scope including both the stadia and infrastructure before we turn to the matter of the hosting nation itself as Big Phil Scolari has some important decisions to make in the wake of tough seasons for both Neymar and Paulinho who were key and driving forces for Brazil at 2013 Confederations Cup. We also explore key pieces of the anticipated Brazil National Team, touch upon the impact on the domestic league and what other nations should be considered favorites as the temperatures and conditions speak both to the pressure of this event and the lack of room for effort.