BRASILIA: Brazil’s local organising committee for the 2014 World Cup has been dealt another challenge after the country’s federal prosecutor challenged the constitutionality of the contentious ‘World Cup Law’, which was approved last year by President Dilma Rousseff.

In June 2012, Rousseff signed off on the crucial bill regulating the country’s staging of the World Cup, with FIFA and the Brazilian government agreeing concessions in the sale of alcohol and ticketing.

The news brought an end to a long-running quest to bring the law into force – a saga that increased tensions between FIFA and local organisers with world football’s governing body having wanted the bill finalised months earlier.

The law regulates commercial rights, alcohol sales and advertising rules for the World Cup and rubber-stamps the final commitments Brazil’s federal government made to FIFA in its bid to host the tournament and last month’s Confederations Cup.

However, the Associated Press reports federal prosecutor Roberto Gurgel has questioned four articles of the law, adding that it violates citizens’ constitutional guarantee to equal treatment, as well as provisions of Brazilian tax law.

Saint-Clair Milesi, a spokesman for Brazil’s LOC, said there would be “no comment on an ongoing process”.

According to the filing, the World Cup law violates the constitution by requiring the state to assume civil responsibility – instead of FIFA – for any damages during the events.

It states: “The exception given to FIFA, its subsidiaries, legal representatives, consultants and its employees manifestly violate the taxpayers’ equal status under Brazilian law. Legislators cannot favour a taxpayer in detriment to another, but may only identify situations in which there are differences which justify different treatment.”

The prosecutor’s office said the case would be heard by Brazil’s federal supreme court, but it is unclear when this will take place.

READ MORE AT:

Friday, July 12, 2013 Man City charges its commercial portfolio with new Thai deal English Premier League club Manchester City has built on its commercial expansion into the Asian market by agreeing a partnership with car battery brand GS Battery in Thailand…. read more Chronotech deal is timely for Milan AC Milan has signed its second commercial deal in the space of a week with watch brand Chronotech becoming an official partner of the Serie A giant for the 2013-14 season…. read more Rwandan Minister to address African Forum Soccerex has announced that Protais Mitali, Rwanda’s Minister of Sport and Culture, will be speaking on the ‘Sport & Government’ panel at the Soccerex African Forum, which takes place in Durban from October 1-2…. read more Bauhaus joins Schalke commercial portfolio DIY retail chain Bauhaus has signed up as a commercial partner of German 1.Bundesliga giant Schalke 04…. read more Brazil’s World Cup law faces legal challenge Brazil’s local organising committee (LOC) for the 2014 World Cup has been dealt another challenge after the country’s federal prosecutor challenged the constitutionality of the contentious ‘World Cup Law’, which was approved last year by President Dilma Rousseff…. read more Prefer your news online? Stopped receiving your usual copy? Click here! What’s the return for high-spending Emirates? Matthew Glendinning, editor of Sports Sponsorship Insider, discusses Emirates’ football sponsorship strategy…. Emirates’ sponsorship spend as a proportion of its marketing budget is stratospheric compared to other brands in football – or anywhere else – and its expectations on return on investment are pretty high too. But can Emirates really get a big enough bang for it sponsorship buck to justify such spending?…. read more