It's no secret that Brazilians take their soccer very seriously, but the anger of some fans over the past weekend has resulted in another fan's death.
According to Brazilian news outlet Globoesporte, a soccer riot at Arruda Stadium had fans throwing toilet bowls from the stands after there was a 1-1- draw between Santa Cruz and Parana. One of the three toilets that were ripped from the bathrooms and thrown struck Paulo Ricardo Gomes da Silva, 26, and resulted in his instant death.
"The toilet was thrown from the stands and hit him full on," said police captain Wilson Queiroz to Globesporte. "The victim was with someone at the time but everyone fled the scene after the incident."
With the World Cup beginning soon in the Latin American nation, the dangers of game-related violence are being highlighted. And unfortunately, Brazil is no stranger to them. Last summer, fans stoned referee Otavio da Silva to death after he expelled soccer player Josenir Abreu, got into a fight with Abreu, and then stabbed him to death. More recently, violence erupted at the Pavao-Pavaozinho slum in Rio de Janeiro after the death of 25-year-old Douglas Rafael da Silva Pereira, whose dead body was discovered.
Despite the wary, FIFA's secretary general claims that safety is not a problem in the upcoming World Cup. "What has happened in Rio does not put at risk the organization of the World Cup for FIFA, at all," said Jerome Valcke, reports Daily Mail. "I'm sure that the safety of the World Cup will be at the highest level for all people involved."
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