FIFA Says It Will Not Tolerate Additional Delays In Brazil's Stadium Constructions

FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke warned that the organization "would not tolerate" any more delays in stadium construction, according to PORTAL 2014. Six Confederations Cup venues were scheduled to be finished in December, but only two were actually finished by the deadline. Valcke said, "I would have preferred that the deadlines were met and that the stadiums were ready in December 2012, as planned. By consensus we agreed to postpone that date to April so we still have time. But it will no longer be possible to be late" (PORTAL 2014, 1/28). XINHUA noted the two stadiums that were finished by the deadline were Fortaleza's Castelao and Belo Horizonte's Mineirao Stadium. Valcke added, "As of today we have 500 days ahead of us until the World Cup begins," Valcke said. "We must work together as hard as we can to achieve our goals. We are well on our way" (XINHUA, 1/29).