(VIDEO) CRAZY STADIUM BRAWL IN BRAZIL DURING SOCCER MATCH HAS FIFA WORRIED ABOUT WORLD CUP VIOLENCE

JOINVILLE, BRAZIL

As disturbing images of fans hitting each other made their way into the news across Brazil, FIFA moved quickly Monday to downplay the risk of violence inside stadiums during the World Cup.

FIFA condemned the incidents in the southern city of Joinville, where fan fighting halted a decisive Brazilian league match for more than an hour on Sunday and led to the hospitalization of four people, including one airlifted from the field.

“This is very sad for Brazilian football,” FIFA said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. “FIFA and the local organizing committee condemn any form of violence and such incidents should not happen in any football stadium.”

The violence came only two days after FIFA held the draw for the World Cup with an extravagant ceremony in a luxurious resort in northeastern Brazil.
Hundreds of supporters from Atletico Paranaense and Vasco da Gama charged against each other in Joinville, throwing kicks, punches and using sticks and metal bars in the fighting, forcing the referee to stop the match about 17 minutes into the first half.

Security in Joinville was done by private guards instead of police, similar to what is planned for the World Cup. Only stewards are in charge of fan safety inside stadiums during FIFA events, with authorities usually in charge of security outside the venues.

Sunday’s fighting only stopped after police arrived firing rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.



FIFA said it could not comment on what happened in Joinville because it was not involved in the match, but noted that it is confident with security plans for the World Cup.

“For the 2014 FIFA World Cup a very comprehensive security concept is in place in an integrated operation between private and public security authorities to ensure the safety for fans, players and any other stakeholder involved in the event,” the governing body said “The concept has worked very well during the FIFA Confederations Cup and is built on models used at previous FIFA World Cups.”

Most of FIFA’s security concerns ahead of next year’s event have been focused on protests outside of the venues, but the recent violence inside Brazilian stadiums is likely to lead to some apprehension. Even though rival fan groups common to club matches are not expected during World Cup games, it was clear Sunday that the nearly 80 security guards separating the crowd in Joinville were not in position to contain the violence.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said Monday the sports ministry was accompanying the case and called to an end to lack of punishment in cases of fan violence in Brazil.

“The country of football cannot live with violence in stadiums anymore,” Rousseff said on Twitter. “We need police in the stadiums.”