(Rio de Janeiro) The players of the Brazilian soccer selection declared themselves on Tuesday evening “against the organization of the Copa América” in their country in a joint manifesto on social networks, but nevertheless assured that they would play the tournament despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
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“We are against the organization of the Copa America, but we will never say no to the Brazilian selection”, published the players on the official accounts of several social networks, after the qualifying match for the 2022 World Cup against Paraguay (2-0 victory).
“For various reasons, be they humanitarian or professional, we are dissatisfied with the way in which Conmebol has managed the Copa América”, adds this text.
Brazil were selected to host the competition eight days ago, to everyone’s surprise, after Colombia and Argentina withdrew.
La Conmebol then thanked far-right President Jair Bolsonaro for having “opened the doors to his country”.
The move sparked an outcry in Brazil, where more than 476,000 people have died from COVID-19, with the threat of a third wave for weeks to come.
“At no time did we want this discussion to take on a political dimension,” assured the players.
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, eldest son of the head of state, had asked the players “not to let themselves be manipulated” and to do everything to “avoid a boycott”.
Another senator, Renan Calheiros, fierce opponent of President Bolsonaro, had instead asked Neymar, the biggest star of the Seleçao, to boycott the “championship of death”.
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