Fifa feels the heat but refuses to budge on World Cup kick-off times• Union, concerned over players’ health, threatens legal action • Governing body says it spent two years analysing start times 
Fifa said on Wednesday it was not considering changing kick-off times or adding mandatory cooling breaks during World Cup matches, despite being sued by Brazil’s players’ union because of health concerns. World football’s governing body said it spent nearly two years analysing starting times for the tournament in Brazil and always took into consideration the players’ health.
The
players’ federation has filed a lawsuit to change kick-off times of the 24 matches scheduled to start at 1pm local time (5pm BST), saying
players would be at risk because of intense heat and humidity in some venues.It said
Fifa must introduce two-minute water breaks in each half during those matches. The players’ federation is asking for a temporary injunction against Fifa but there is no timetable on a ruling.
“Fifa’s medical team is always monitoring carefully all venues during any Fifa competition to protect the players’ health,” the governing body said in a statement. “
Cooling breaks will be considered on a match-by-match basis for the 64 matches. Official and mandatory cooling breaks will not be pre-established. Rather, climate conditions will be evaluated prior to each match by the Fifa venue medical officer.”
There were
similar health concerns during the 1994 World Cup in the United States, when temperatures reached the mid-30C in some of the games. Extreme heat will also be a problem for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with Fifa considering moving the tournament to winter to avoid the hot weather in the Gulf nation.
Fifa said it had made the schedule changes it felt were needed in the Brazilian cities with the highest temperatures.
It will be winter in Brazil during the World Cup but it may be hot and humid in many of the 12 host cities, especially in the north-eastern and northern regions.“One core aspect in defining the kick-off times was the very thorough analysis of the historical climate data in all venues,” Fifa said.
“Therefore, the venues with the highest average temperatures such as Manaus, Cuiaba and Fortaleza do not have any matches with 1pm kick-off times during group stage.”Seven matches had their kick-off times altered by Fifa last year.
The players’ federation, known as Fenapaf, wants the changes based on local labour regulations and a study conducted by the renowned Brazilian sports doctor Turibio Leite.
The study was requested by Fenapaf and Fifpro, the international players’ union.
“We have been trying to discuss this with Fifa for nearly two years and they won’t even sit down to talk to us,”
the federation president, Rinaldo Martorelli, said. “The only alternative was to seek legal action.
We really hope that they make the changes in kick-off times, but if that doesn’t happen, they need to at least make the cooling breaks mandatory.”
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/21/fifa-world-cup-kickoff-times-heat [ 此帖被羅力亞在2014-05-22 13:09重新編輯 ]
