The Brazilian Football Confederation has suspended two more rounds of the national league due to severe flooding in the southern part of the country. The decision was made on Wednesday, following a request to halt the matches from 15 of the 20 top-tier clubs.

Decisive response from authorities

Authorities have reported that at least 149 people have died as a result of the floods, and another 108 are considered missing. Over 620,000 people have been displaced. Estádio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, a 2014 World Cup stadium, has been flooded. Additionally, the facilities of two other clubs, Gręmio FBPA (Arena do Gremio) and Juventude, have also been affected by the water.

We cannot forget that sport and society go hand in hand and cannot be separated in such a difficult moment for Brazilians, stated the national football organization in a statement. If conditions in southern Brazil permit, the league will resume on June 1. Matches of all three teams from Rio Grande do Sul in the 5th round of games were also canceled, as the flood began that weekend.

The suspension of top-tier matches until May 27 initially did not apply to other leagues. Shortly thereafter, Sports Minister André Fufuca demanded the same measure for all national competitions for men, women, and under-20 players. The Brazilian football organization agreed to suspend all football activities in the southern state, which borders Uruguay and Argentina, for 20 days. The South American football organization CONMEBOL also canceled two matches that were scheduled to take place in the region.

© AFP

Brazilians unite

Brazilian football giants, including Neymar, Vinicius Junior, and Ronaldinho, are organizing a fundraiser for the victims of the devastating floods. Using their immense popularity on social media, the stars joined forces with players from local clubs who helped people escape the water on their personal jet skis. Neymar shared a video showing his private jet filled with crates of bottled water and other supplies. Brazil is going through a tough time, and there is never too much help, he wrote in a post supporting the donation appeal by the Brazilian Football Confederation.

We are all on the same side, said Uruguayan goalkeeper Sergio Rochet, who plays for Internacional, to local station Radio Gaucha. He and his Ecuadorian teammate, Enner Valencia, personally delivered aid to a shelter for displaced people.

© EPA