South America's soccer federation CONMEBOL said on Monday it would move next month's Copa America to Brazil, thanking Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for stepping in after original host Argentina…
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ASUNCION/RIO DE JANEIRO South America’s soccer federation CONMEBOL said on Monday it would move next month’s Copa America to Brazil, thanking Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for stepping in after original host Argentina pulled out over surging COVID-19 cases.
The surprise decision, which relocates the competition from one South American coronavirus hot spot to another, means the oldest international tournament in the world will kick off as planned on June 13, with the final on July 10. It is a boost for Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain who has railed against lockdowns and urged Brazilians to return to normal life.
Argentina and Colombia had been chosen as co-hosts in 2019 to oversee a tournament that was originally planned to include 12 teams (the 10 CONMEBOL members and guests Qatar and Colombia).
But in 2020 the Copa was suspended for 12 months in the midst of the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
The situation in Colombia was further complicated by a wave of anti-government protests across the country and violent police reaction, with more than 60 people killed according to NGO estimates.
CONMEBOL stripped Colombia of hosting duties on May 21 and on Sunday announced that Argentina was also stepping down, after top government figures in the country voiced their doubts that the tournament could go ahead due to the current public health crisis.
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