World Cup Host City Looks Ahead to Rio 2016

(ATR) Belo Horizonte’s top World Cup official tells Around the Ringsthe Brazil 2014 tournament and the city’s Rio Olympic associations have put it on the global map.

Fears over anti-government protests ruining the tournament in Brazil were quickly banished as the competition threw up one thrilling game after another in the group stages.

Camillo Fraga, municipal secretary for the World Cup in Belo Horizonte, told ATR Brazil’s hosting of the competition has silenced the skeptics.

"Football is a passion in Brazil. It’s in our blood. When it started, I think everything changed," he said.

A few small protests in Sao Paulo, Rio and a couple of other cities have not detracted from a glorious few weeks of football when all the talk, apart from the Luis Suarez bite, has centered on the entertaining clashes and stunning goals. The scenes of celebration in the 12 host cities is in marked contrast to the violent demonstrations that marred the Confederations Cup in 2013.

"People are connecting with the World Cup. It’s really good to see that. Now is the time to enjoy the party and the World Cup," Fraga said.

"After the World Cup, we have elections in Brazil. People comprehended that the time to do changes is at election time."

Does he think the feel-good factor around the World Cup will benefit President Dilma Rousseff’s re-election hopes?

No, was his blunt response.

"The success of the World Cup won’t affect her chances of being re-elected. A Brazil win could be better for her, but I think she will lose," he said.

He noted that Rousseff was born in Belo Horizonte, capital city of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, but "she doesn’t do anything for our state."

World Cup Legacy

Critics of FIFA and the World Cup, mainly those inside Brazil, have blasted the billions of dollars invested in venues and infrastructure and point to the white elephants left after the South Africa World Cup. But they can have no truck with Belo Horizonte’s legacy.

"It was very good to have this reconstruction to improve the quality [of the stadium]," Fraga emphasised.

"We are using our stadium. We have three big teams here. We have a lot of concerts in the Mineirao," he said.

"For us, it’s not a white elephant."

Belo Horizonte’s World Cup legacy stretches to the Rio 2016 Olympics and beyond.

Since 2009, when Rio secured hosting rights, Belo Horizonte started work to attract Olympic teams to train in the city. It has paid off handsomely.

In 2013, the British Olympic Association agreed to make the city Team GB’s training base; last month the British Paralympic Association struck a deal to set up ParalympicGB’s camp here ahead of the Games.

The Mineirao stadium will also host men’s and women’s football at the Rio Games; a total of 14 football matches will be staged in the city.

Fraga said the training camps and the city’s hosting role at the Rio Olympics is "really important."

"To have this internalisation of our city, it’s important to show people we have contracts," he said, adding that the Paralympics agreement would help the city improve accessibility for disabled people.

Fraga shrugs off fears that Brazil’s spotlight on delivering a smoothly-run World Cup is triggering further delays in Olympic preparations. Rio 2016 is already well behind across the project.

"It’s not a concern but it’s something we have to see. For our part, we will deliver for the Olympic Games. We have to deliver what we promise," he added, saying the challenges over the next two years related to finishing some training centres for different sports and on transport infrastructure for the Olympics.

Written by Mark Bisson

Homepage photo: Getty Images

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