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.

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