Brazil's controversial World Cup law "has again fallen into the spotlight with the country's federal prosecutor challenging the legality of the legislation." The law, which critics say gives FIFA too much power, "was delayed several times by various objections before being signed off by Brazil President Dilma Rousseff with a number of amendments, one of which relaxed the rules on the sale of alcohol in and around stadiums" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 7/17). ... Chelsea FC Foundation and U.S.-based FC Harlem announced a partnership to develop community initiatives for young people in N.Y. The partnership is an extension of Chelsea's "Here To Play, Here To Stay" initiative, and will build education and football platforms for children worldwide (Chelsea). ... Nigeria Sports Minister Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi has called for clubs "unable or unwilling to pay the backlog in players' salaries to be barred from competing in the coming season." Players of FCT Queens, a club owned by the Abuja administration, had not been paid for more than 18 months and have been forced into "begging and, in some cases, prostitution, to get money for food." A visibly angry Abdullahi said at the meeting, "This has to stop. We cannot behave as if we live in a jungle" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 7/17).
