By Michael Place
RIO DE JANEIRO, (PNA/Xinhua) — A Brazilian labor court has suspended construction work on the Arena da Baixada World Cup stadium, raising fresh doubts about Brazil’s ability to host football’s showpiece tournament next year.
Judge Lorena de Mello Rezende Colnago announced the decision on Tuesday, alleging the venue posed a safety risk to workers.
Located in the southern city of Curitiba, Arena da Baixada is scheduled to stage four matches during the June 12 to July 13 event.
The suspension comes after a government-commissioned report identified 208 infractions in the stadium’s redevelopment.
In handing down her decision, Colnago said workers were at “serious risk of being struck by falling materials, among other serious hazards.”
“It [the report] verifies the existence of numerous violations in various stages of the work,” she added.
CAP/SA, the company responsible for the venue’s refurbishment, has been threatened with a daily fine of 225,000 US dollars if it fails to obey the ruling.