Brazil 2014: "FIFA must take measures to guarantee the health of players" (FIFPro)

FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) must take "more appropriate and effective measures to guarantee the health and safety of the professional footballers who are participating in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, now that the world’s governing football body has refused to change the tournament’s time schedule," said FIFPro (International Federation of Professional Footballers) on the 06/12/2013.

Following the meeting of the Organising Committee of the World Cup, on the 03/12/2013, Joseph Blatter, the FIFA president, had announced that the schedules for games would not be altered. "FIFA has stated to stick to the original time schedule, thus giving the players the impression that the world’s governing football body considers the demands of TV companies of greater importance than the health and safety of the players," added the players union.

FIFPro welcomed the decision by FIFA to introduce additional breaks after 30 minutes of each half, if the "Web Bulb Globe Temperature" (index that measures the temperature, humidity and solar radiation) exceeds 32° C. They…