Blatter confident Rio’s Maracana will be ready for Confederations CupJune 14, 2013 - 11:26 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - FIFA president Sepp Blatter has moved to allay fears over the readiness of a number of stadiums in Brazil for the start of the Confederations Cup, BBC News reported. Workmen are still involved in construction projects at and around the Maracana in Rio, despite the stadium hosting Italy versus Mexico on Sunday, June 16. However, Blatter said he was not unduly worried by the delays. "I have seen worse situations. Yes there is still work to be done, but it will get done," he said. "I have been to many tournaments when the painters are still painting the stadiums an hour before the first match. It is not a surprise to me that people are still working. "It just means that something has not been finished and they need to finish it." Heavy rainfall in Recife has also raised doubts about the playing surface at the Arena Penambunco, with Spain set to play Uruguay there on Sunday and further heavy rain forecast over the next two days. Blatter, however, says no tournament he has been involved with has ever run totally smoothly. "Since I was first involved in 1978, I have witnessed a lot of problems like this, but when the tournament started, everything went well. Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |