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Soccerex officials eye pre-World Cup Brazil return

(Xinhua)    13:15, November 27, 2013
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Organizers of the Soccerex global football convention hope to reschedule the event for early next year, according to local media reports.

The six-day conference, which had been earmarked to begin on November 30, was cancelled earlier this month due to concerns over security.

Soccerex officials claimed the decision by the Rio de Janeiro government represents a breach of contract and have sought compensation.

A lawsuit against the government has not been ruled out, although it is seen as a last resort, the Uol news service reported on Tuesday.

"Soccerex thinks that it can carry out the event in mid-March or April next year, before the World Cup," the report said.

This year was to be the fourth time the event be held in Rio de Janeiro.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and England coach Roy Hodgson had also agreed to attend.

The event's cancellation followed a wave of anti-government protests in Brazil's major cities which had happened during the Confederations Cup in June.

Demonstrators have voiced their anger that billions of dollars are being spent on the World Cup and Olympics instead of essential services like health, education and transport.

Many of the protests have turned violent, with the government blaming hooded members of the group Black Bloc for widespread vandalism and attacks on police.

In July, Blatter warned nationwide marches that overshadowed the Confederations Cup were "like alarm bells for Brazil's government."

The Rio de Janeiro government denied security concerns were to blame for Soccerex's cancellation, saying the decision was based on funding problems.

(Editor:WangXin、Chen Lidan)

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