By Samindra Kunti
February 24 – The Maracana stadium will reopen in March with Rio club Flamengo hosting a Copa Libertadores match, but the future of the venue remains in doubt as bidders appear to be getting cold feet over taking on the management challenge of the iconic stadium.
The iconic stadium, which hosted the 2014 World Cup final and the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympics and is one of football’s spiritual homes, has rapidly fallen into disrepair. Together with the majority of Olympic venues, the Maracana has been left abandoned, prompting Brazilian great Zico to express his frustration.
“What you are doing with Maracanã is absurd,” wrote Zico on Facebook. “I visited the stadium, where I’ve had so many joys and lived some of the best moments of my life, and I came across a scenario of neglect and abandonment.”
The Maracana has become decrepit. The stadium was looted with thieves stealing television sets and two bronze busts, including the bust of journalist Mario Filho after whom the stadium is officially named. The power to the stadium has also been cut off.
Odebrecht, the consortium managing the stadium, had asked the state of Rio de Janeiro to take over management, but following the hosting of the 2016 Olympic Games the state of Rio de Janeiro is in a severe financial crisis, having declared a ‘financial calamity’. For months teachers, nurses, other public employees, and pensions have not been paid.
But in March Flamengo will host a match against Argentine club San Lorenzo in the Copa Libertadores. The stadium will require work with the pitch in need of attention and repairs needed in the stands. On Thursday, the day after Flamengo’s announcement, power was restored after the utility bill of 1.3 million reals ($430,000) was paid.
The long term management of the stadium, however, remains up in the air. The multi-national consortium comprised of Chime Sports Marketing, GL Events and Amsterdam Arenas pulled out of the bidding race after objecting to contractual conditions, according to Brazilian media.
Rio’s two major clubs Flamengo and Fluminense had expressed a preference for GL Events to take over the Maracana. “Flamengo will only establish a partnership with reliable institutions in which it feels safe to make a long-term partnership,” said Flamengo president De Mello. “If the CSM/GL/Amsterdam Arenas consortium wins, Flamengo will participate, and Fluminense, as well.”
It remains to be seen how both clubs will respond, with French company Lagardère Sports left as the only bidder now. Lagardère Sports offered between a reported R$40 to R$60 million for the management of the stadium.
The Maracana was constructed for the 1950 World Cup and was revamped for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games. The stadium was also refurbished for the Club World Cup in 2000 and the PanAmerican Games in 2007.
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