Politicizing football

Opinion is divided over this year's World Cup. Will the FIFA tournament go down in Brazil's history as a political and sporting fiasco? Or will it, contrary to expectation, turn out to be a peaceful celebration of football?

Following the most recent protests on Thursday (15.05.2014), there are increasing signs that the political hostage-taking of mega sporting events is coming to an end.

One indication of this was the markedly low turnout for the demonstrations, which were scheduled to take place nationwide. Students are no longer spontaneously taking to the streets to call for political reforms in their country. Instead, striking teachers, police officers and bus drivers are waving flags and using the World Cup as leverage in their demands for higher wages.

Even organizations for the homeless are using the tournament as a platform for protest. Not to mention the violent members of the anarchist group Black Bloc.

However, the World Cup hasn't been an effective campaign tool - neither for political movements nor parties. Since 1994, the presidential and parliamentary elections have taken place every four years, coinciding with the Football World Cup. And up to now, the performance of the Brazilian national team hasn't influenced the election result.

When Brazil was crowned champion at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, hyperinflation determined the outcome of the vote. In 1998, when the "Selecao" was defeated by France in the World Cup final, then President Fernando Henrique Cardoso was re-elected thanks to his successful anti-inflation policy.

Even the historical election victory of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2002 had nothing to do with Brazil's World Cup win in Japan and Korea. The union leader scored big points for his social agenda, not for the soccer trophy. He successfully ran for president again in 2006, even though Brazil was knocked out in the quarterfinal against France.

In the upcoming elections this October, the World Cup is again unlikely to be a deciding factor. Even if President Dilma Rousseff is punished for the government's World Cup spending, that won't necessarily mean that her political opponents will benefit.

Still, this World Cup is anything but apolitical. The protests that rocked the Confederations Cup one year ago have changed the country. The days when major sporting events can be promoted as political or economic blessings are over in Brazil - and that's a good thing.

Brazil is also the first country to stand up to FIFA. The population is no longer willing to provide the gentlemen of the World Football Association with a cheerful backdrop to their billion-dollar spectacle. The five-time world champion has no need for such a thing anyway.

In July 2013, more than 3 million people from around the world flocked to Copacabana for World Youth Day, proving the country's ability to organize a major event. Brazil has changed - and hopefully FIFA has learnt a lesson.