There "are major safety fears" after it emerged that World Cup organizers have "yet to test the stadium that will host the opening game at anything near full capacity," according to James Ducker of the LONDON TIMES. FIFA insisted that Brazil’s opening Group A game at the Arena de São Paulo would be played in front of a full crowd of 61,600 on Thursday, even though "one large temporary seating structure in the stadium was closed during trial safety runs." FIFA sources insisted that "they were comfortable with the safety tests that had been done and the measures in place," although that view "seemed at odds" with comments made by FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke, last month. Valcke: “It is vital that all facilities will be tested under full match conditions in the temporary sections and associated facilities” (LONDON TIMES, 6/10). Also in London, Matt Lawton reported the Arena de São Paulo would not meet U.K. legislation requirements "without a proper test event." U.K. stadia are governed by "The Green Guide," which "is a range of legislation that forms the granting of a licence." Central to the process is "the testing of stadia life safety systems." That involves holding an "appropriate number" of test events with recommendations that they should be undertaken at 30% capacity, 60% capacity and a test event at or around 100%. Even "with temporary seating the strict rules apply" (DAILY MAIL, 6/10).
IN ASIA: XINHUA reported a local news portal in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region said that "it will stream all Brazil World Cup matches in the Uyghur language, the mother tongue of more than 10 million Uyghur residents." This is the "first time" the portal, ts.cn, will team up with the China Central Television website "to provide live streaming of World Cup matches in the Uyghur language'' (XINHUA, 6/10). XINHUA also reported Beijing "has abandoned a plan to rename subway stations" after the 32 World Cup teams "amid fears that it would confuse passengers" (XINHUA, 6/10). The BANGKOK POST reported Thailand World Cup broadcast rights holder RS "threatened to cancel" its broadcast if "it loses a court case with regulators over its broadcasting issue." RS is "fighting a court case in the Supreme Administrative Court with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) which wants RS to broadcast all 64 matches on free TV as required" (BANGKOK POST, 6/10).
