FIFA official 'worried' by drunkenness at World Cup
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Sports and booze go hand in hand, but FIFA is concerned some fans are taking that pairing a little too far at the World Cup.
"I was struck and worried by the level of drunkenness of many supporters who do not behave well because of this," FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke told SportTV. "When people drink too much alcohol, that can increase the level of violence."
The pearl-clutching is ironic — and not because of the stereotype of soccer fans as drunken hooligans. Brazil prohibits alcohol in stadiums, but temporarily lifted the ban at FIFA's insistence.
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Budweiser is a top sponsor of the World Cup.
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Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
