Senator Renan Calheiros, instructor of a parliamentary commission that investigates the management of the covid-19 pandemic in Brazil, asked Neymar and the players of the Brazilian team on Tuesday not to accept to play the Copa América in the country.
“It is incredible that the Government wants to host the America’s Cup in Brazil, at a time when the pandemic worsens and fills our cemeteries and hospitals like never before,” said Calheiros at the opening of a committee session, which tries to clarify whether the Government is responsible for the lack of control of the health crisis.
According to Calheiros, the Copa América, which Conmebol has announced will be played in Brazil, “will become a championship of death” if it is held in one of the countries most affected by the pandemic, which exceeds 462,000 deaths and that, according to specialists, it is facing a new wave of the pandemic.
“Since we cannot appeal to the Government or the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), I am writing to the Brazilian team, its players, its coach, Neymar, to ask them not to accept the Copa América in Brazil,” he added Calheiros.
«The championship that we must dispute is that of vaccination. Those are the goals we must score, Neymar. Do not allow him to enter the field while his friends, his relatives, his acquaintances, continue to die in our country, “he concluded.
The Copa América, which should begin on the 13th, was to be held by Argentina and Colombia, but both countries gave up receiving the tournament for various reasons, among which they cited the high incidence of the coronavirus pandemic.
Conmebol announced the day before that the new headquarters will be Brazil and this Tuesday President Jair Bolsonaro expressed his support for the country to organize the regional tournament for national teams.
“There is the Copa Libertadores, there is the South American Cup, now they are coming (matches) from the regional qualifiers” for the World Cup in Qatar, Bolsonaro said in relation to tournaments that have been played for months.
“Nobody says anything about that, but if it is the Copa América then it will cause crowds and it cannot be played,” he said ironically, insisting that his government is willing to accept the tournament, although some details of the tournament are still being discussed. organization.
“It is the same (security) protocol of the Copa Libertadores,” Bolsonaro insisted to justify his support for the tournament, which generated a huge wave of criticism from health specialists and political sectors that considered that decision “irresponsible” when the country continues to be uncontrolled. the covid-19 pandemic. EFE. (JL).