FIFA visit to Maracana canceled because of rain
Wednesday - 3/6/2013, 11:17am ET
This January 2013 photo, released by World Cup Portal, shows an aerial view of the Mane Garrincha stadium, in Brasilia, Brazil. The Confederations Cup will be played in Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Recife. The stadium in Brasilia, which will host the tournament's opener, is not ready yet. Maracana, home of the final on June 30, also is yet to be finalized. (AP Photo/World Cup Portal, Ademir Rodrigues)
TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
SAO PAULO (AP) -- Stadium flooding has forced the cancellation of a FIFA inspection of Confed Cup preparation
Parts of the construction site and some equipment were submerged after the heavy rain fell in Rio de Janeiro late Tuesday. Television images showed shirtless workers using large white buckets to remove water that accumulated overnight in parts of the stadium's recently installed roof.
Members of FIFA and the organizing committee had planned a visit on Wednesday ahead of the arrival of FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke to Rio on Thursday.
At the start of his three-day visit on Tuesday, Valcke hinted that the renovation at Maracana was his biggest concern.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
