FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke Says Less Democracy Is Good For World Cup

FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said that "too much democracy can be a hindrance" when organizing a World Cup, according to REUTERS. Valcke said that "one of the reasons FIFA had encountered difficulties in organising the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was due to the various levels of government in the South American nation." He "expected fewer problems for Russia 2018 with President Vladimir Putin." Valcke said, "I will say something which is crazy, but less democracy is sometimes better for organizing a World Cup. The main fight we have (is) when we enter a country where the political structure is divided, as it is in Brazil, into three levels, the federal level, the state level and the city level. (There are) different people, different movements, different interests and it's quite difficult to organize a World Cup in such conditions" (REUTERS, 4/24).