Clean Games for World Cup

Two years away from hosting the first of two of the most elaborate sporting events ever known to man, the Brazilian government is striving for one goal – “Logos Limpos.”

In 2014 and 2016, respectively, Brazil will welcome the entire world to its shores as it hosts the World Cup and the Summer Olympics. During the most recent Olympics in London, roughly 300,000 tourists, including athletes, flocked to England for the games – and this year was widely considered to be unusually low in terms of tourism.

Given the considerable infrastructure improvements that will be required for the events to take place without incident – from stadiums and highways to signage and parking lots – the country’s government has braced itself for the possibility of rampant corruption and bribery involving contracted work. These construction projects represent a potential boon for contractors and any organization that could benefit from the rash of spending necessary during the buildup to the two events.

The Brazilian government has tried to police itself through its Logos Limpos (“Clean Games”) initiative, but the index it is using to track the level of transparency in infrastructure upgrades has found that all 12 cities being assessed have not done yet enough to remain accountable, according to Trust Law.

Paulo Itacarambi, vice president of the organization tracking transparency levels, recently explained the metrics that are being applied to the cities.

“Are there information channels about the World Cup investments, are they effective, do they provide all the necessary information, and do they allow for social participation,” he said.

As companies mobilize in Brazil prior to the start of the World Cup, they should be aware of government oversight policies like Logos Limpos that could impact their business practices. A Brazilian law firm can protect these businesses’ interests, especially if they are headquartered outside of the country.