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      Copa America 2021 thrown back into crisis as Covid-hit Brazil DENY deal to host tournament after Argentina give it up

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      BRAZIL has heaped more uncertainty on this year’s Copa America after distancing itself from confirmation by South American football chiefs it was stepping in to rescue the tournament.Argentina pulled out of plans to stage the competition over the weekend because of its Covid crisis, 10 days after initial co-host Colombia ruled itself out due to political protests.
      Luiz Eduardo Ramos has declared that ‘nothing is decided’Credit: AFP
      Conmebol announced late on Sunday the tournament would take place in Brazil, thanking the country’s president Jair Bolsonaro and his government for stepping in at such short notice.
      But overnight Bolsonaro’s Chief of Staff Luiz Eduardo Ramos insisted nothing had been decided following a wave of criticism at the idea one of the worst-hit Covid countries in the world would stage the Copa America.
      Mr Ramos insisted: “Nothing has been decided yet, I want to be very clear.
      “We are in the middle of the process. We don’t want to reject a request if we can satisfy it.”
      He also indicated a final announcement would be made later today.
      Several Brazilian states including Pernambuco, Minais Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul have already refused to host games.
      Opposition MP Julio Delgado announced he would fight Brazil’s confirmation it would host the Copa America, which will feature the likes of Lionel Messi, Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez, in the courts.
      Another opposition politician, Marcelo Freixo raged on Twitter: “Argentina pulled out of hosting the Copa America because of the worsening of the coronavirus pandemic.
      Brazil hosted the tournament in 2019Credit: AFP
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      “There the average daily death rate in the last seven days was 470 people. Here it was 1,844, four times greater.
      “This is the portrait of a murderous government.”
      Before Conmebol confirmed Brazil as the new hosts, speculation had been growing that the United States would end up staging the tournament.
      Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez had been among players to publicly express concern about the decision to go ahead with the Copa America in Argentina before the decision to move it was made.
      He insisted at the weekend after jetting to his native Uruguay: “Sometimes human health should be be prioritised over a football tournament.
      “We are in a difficult situation in the world and the truth is it’s surprising it’s going ahead, but when it’s confirmed we have to try to deal with it in the best way possible and not think about the pandemic.”
      The Copa America is due to start on June 13 and finish on July 10.
      More than 460,000 people have died from Covid-19 in Brazil, second only to the United States.
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      Where is the Copa America being hosted? Argentina and Colombia both axed as Brazil steps in

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      THE Copa America has been moved after Argentina joined Colombia in pulling out of hosting the tournament.In mid-May, Colombia, who were scheduled to host the final, pulled out as their country was overrun with political protests.
      2019 champions Brazil will host the second Copa America runningCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Lionel Messi might have to wait for another shot at an international trophy if the Copa America is cancelledCredit: AFP
      Following that decision, the idea was that Argentina would act as sole host or co-host with a new host nation.
      However, the Argentines have now also been removed as hosts after a hard nine-day lockdown failed to address a spike in Covid cases.
      Where is the Copa America being hosted now?
      Brazil has been rapidly announced as the new host of the entire Copa America, beating out reported competition from several other nations.
      A tweet from Conmebol read: “The Conmebol Copa America 2021 will be played in Brazil! Tournament start and end dates are confirmed.
      “The venues and the fixtures will be informed by CONMEBOL in the next few hours.
      “The oldest national team tournament in the world will make the whole continent vibrate!”
      ¡La CONMEBOL @CopaAmerica 2021 se jugará en Brasil! Las fechas de inicio y finalización del torneo están confirmadas. Las sedes y el fixture serán informados por la CONMEBOL en las próximas horas. ¡El torneo de selecciones más antiguo del mundo hará vibrar a todo el continente!— CONMEBOL.com (@CONMEBOL) May 31, 2021

      Many parts of the United States are already hosting mass events in front of full stadiums and the country could therefore have been an obvious choice.
      For example, Texas hosted Canelo Alvarez’s boxing win over Billy Joe Saunders in front of 73,000 people.
      However, the tournament would have clashed with North America’s Concacaf Gold Cup, which would have been the priority.
      And there would have been challenges regarding quarantine requirements for the teams with, for example, all travel from Brazil to the USA banned.
      Other South American countries like Ecuador, Venezuela, Chile and Peru have been mooted, but Conmebol have gone with the country that hosted the last tournament back in 2019.

      Is the Copa America cancelled?
      The Copa America would have been cancelled if a new host had not been found, but Brazil stepping in means it should now go ahead.
      A Conmebol statement at the time said: “Conmebol informs that in view of the present circumstances it has decided to suspend the organization of the Copa America in Argentina.
      “Conmebol is analysing the offer of other countries that showed interest in hosting the continental tournament.
      “News in this regard will be announced shortly.” More

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      Brazil to host Copa America 2021 and rescue tournament after both Colombia AND Argentina pull out due to coronavirus

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      BRAZIL have stepped in to save Copa America 2021 after Colombia and Argentina withdrew as co-hosts.This summer’s tournament was in chaos ahead of its planned start on June 13.
      Brazil are the reigning Copa America championsCredit: Getty – Contributor
      The Copa was supposed to take place in Argentina and Colombia last yearCredit: AFP

      Now, though, South American football chiefs Conmebol will unveil a revised schedule, with a return to 2019 hosts and winners Brazil.
      Colombia were forced out of the running on May 20 due to deadly anti-government protests.
      And Argentina followed suit at the weekend, due to a surge in Covid-19 cases.
      But Conmebol have finally taken decisive action by switching Copa America to America’s biggest hotbed for football.
      Nonetheless, Uuruguay striker Luis Suarez is among the superstars who has urged caution over how the tournament is hosted amid the coronavirus pandemic.
      The Atletico Madrid title-winner, 34, formerly of Barcelona and Liverpool, said priority must be given “to the health of human beings”.
      Covid put paid to last year’s Copa America.
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      That tournament was only set for 2020 to put it in line with the Euros by being held on even years.
      But instead both competitions fell foul to coronavirus restrictions and will start this month.
      This means the shortened summer break for clubs will now be even more hectic.
      Argentina were due to face Chile in the Copa America opener at 10pm UK time on Sunday June 13, with Paraguay facing Bolivia the same night.
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      The final is set for July 10.
      Tournament organisers said in a statement on Monday afternoon: “The CONMEBOL @CopaAmerica 2021 will be played in Brazil! Tournament start and end dates are confirmed.
      “The venues and the fixture will be informed by CONMEBOL in the next few hours. The oldest national team tournament in the world will thrill the entire continent!”
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      Colombia stripped of Copa America 2021 hosting rights after political protests with Argentina set to stage tournament

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      CONMEBOL has decided to stop Colombia hosting Copa America 2021 this summer.The decision comes following weeks of unrest, with protests taking place against the government.
      The danger posed by protests has forced Conmebol to strip Colombia of hosting duties
      Protests calling for an end to inequalities and police violence have been taking place for weeks
      Some of the demonstrations have affected Copa Libertadores matches, such as River Plate’s 1-1 draw with Atletico Junior, with tear gas used to disperse protestors causing discomfort for the players on the pitch.
      Another match between Atletico Nacional and Club Nacional was delayed by an hour due to protests in areas surrounding the stadium.
      A report into the safety of travel in the country by the US state department has reached a worrying verdict, forcing Conmebol into action.
      And the South American football governing body has now decided it is “impossible” for Colombia to host, so some matches will have to be moved.
      A statement read, via Goal, “We guarantee the realisation of the 2021 Copa America and in the coming days will inform on the relocation of those games that were to be held in Colombia.”
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      Argentina, which was planned to host the Copa America alongside Colombia, could now take on all of the matches.
      Chile and Paraguay have also expressed interest in being joint hosts, and with less than a month until kick-off a decision will have to be made soon.
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      Argentina last hosted the tournament in 2011 when they suffered a penalty shoot-out defeat to eventual champions Uruguay.
      Lionel Messi is still on the hunt for his first international trophy and should be buoyed by home advantage.
      Brazil will be keen to defend their 2019 title however, and at this stage Conmebol will just be happy if the competition goes ahead.
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      Copa America under threat with the coronavirus pandemic still a problem in Argentina and Colombia, who are the co-hosts

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      THE Euros is not the only international competition on the horizon. There is also the Copa America, co-hosted by Argentina and Colombia, which is due to take place between June 13th and July 10th.Like the Euros, it was put back from last year after the coronavirus pandemic struck. And with the situation in South America especially bad, the pandemic is still a problem.
      This year’s Copa America might be cancelled yet againCredit: AFP
      In the middle of last month Argentina’s president Alberto Fernandez sounded a note of caution, stating that the development of the pandemic would have to be followed closely before it could be confirmed that the competition could go ahead as planned.
      Certainly there would seem no chance of having fans inside the stadiums. Conmebol, the local Uefa equivalent, have been pushing for 30 per cent of stadium capacity, but this now seems wildly optimistic.
      Indeed, any predictions about the Copa are currently looking optimistic – because a fresh problem has emerged.
      When President Fernandez of Argentina was giving voice to his doubts, Colombia’s president Ivan Duque was adamant that the tournament could go ahead.
      The coronavirus situation is bad in his country, too.
      Local authorities in the capital, Bogota, have banned games from taking pace there – so alternative venues hurriedly had to be found for matches in the Copa Libertadores, South America’s Champions League.
      Conmebol hope this will not be a problem come the Copa.
      The organisation has negotiated the delivery of 50,000 doses of vaccine for those involved in international competitions – players, coaching staff, etc, allowing them to believe that the fixture list can be completed.
      Colombian people, already suffering from both health and economic consequences of Covid-19, riot after President Duque introduced a new taxCredit: AFP
      Argentinian president Alberto Fernandez has voiced his doubts that the Copa America can go ahead in his country with the pandemic still a problemCredit: Getty
      But now Colombia has erupted in a wave of social violence.
      President Duque has introduced a new tax, which has not pleased a population suffering from both the health and economic consequences of the pandemic.
      Many took to the streets to protest. 
      The police response was seen as unnecessarily heavy-handed, which had the effect of further inflaming the protests. Over 20 people have lost their lives.
      Last week, then, it was impossible for international matches to go ahead in Colombia, and not because of coronavirus.
      From the point of view of Conmebol, the worst case was that of the visit of Fluminense of Brazil to the Caribbean port of Barranquilla to meet Junior.
      Barranquilla has one of South America’s most impressive stadiums – built for the 1986 World Cup, which ended up not taking place in Colombia.
      It is the home of the Colombian national team, and is the venue for the final of the Copa America on July 10th.
      It was important for Conmebol that this game should go ahead. Fluminense checked with them before making the long journey.
      But once they had reached Barranquilla, it was clear that the match could not go ahead.
      Manchester City-bound Kayky celebrates scoring his first ever Copa Libertadores goal for FluminenseCredit: EPA

      It would have been an extra target for protestors.
      And so, at the last minute, it was switched to Ecuador – where Kaiky, the 17 year old winger who is on his way to Manchester City, scored his first Libertadores goal for Fluminense in a 1-1 draw.
      This, then, was a historic moment for a youngster of great promise. But the fact that it had to happen in Ecuador is very worrying.
      It means that with five weeks to go until the kick off, the venue for the Copa America final was unable to stage an international club game – an extra reason to question whether it is wise to go ahead with the tournament.
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      Copa America 2020 POSTPONED for a year until 2021 as coronavirus hits sporting events around world including Euro 2020

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      THE Copa America is the latest tournament to be postponed after it was pushed back by a year to 2021. It was revealed earlier on Tuesday that Euro 2020 has been delayed by a year as authorities look to stop the spread of coronavirus. ⚠️ Read our Coronavirus in Sport live blog for the latest news, updates and […] More