Brazilian football fans and journalists have accused football authorities of "double standards" after reporting that conditions at Brazil's new football stadiums "have plummeted since the Confederations Cup ended and the arenas started holding Brazilian league matches," according to Andrew Downie of REUTERS. Media facilities "have been dismantled, roads to stadiums are clogged with traffic and high ticket prices have left seats empty, they say." Local radio commentator Rener Lopes said, "They took away the desks, the chairs, the Internet, everything, and we had to work with our equipment balanced on the roof of the substitutes' bench." Fan Andre Doria said, "There is one standard for FIFA and another for the Brazilian league." FIFA took control of the six arenas weeks before the tournament began and "installed its own facilities, including modern media centres." It "set up concession stands run by FIFA sponsors" such as Coca-Cola and "brought in hundreds of volunteers and stewards, as well as collaborating with local authorities to close roads around the venues to make access easier." Since the cup finished, the concession stands "have been replaced by shacks, the media centres have been removed and, with the roads open as normal, fans have to get to the ground through heavy traffic" (REUTERS, 7/23).
