Head of FIFA inspection committee Christian Unger (C) talks to the media as he inspects the Luzhniki Stadium puma fenty creeper blanche , which is under construction, in Moscow, October 20, 2014. The stadium will host matches during the 2018 World Cup. [PhotoAgencies]
MOSCOW - Russia is avoiding Brazil's mistakes.
That was the message as FIFA inspectors completed their tour of the arenas Russia is building for the 2018 World Cup - no delays here.
While Brazil's World Cup passed off largely smoothly, its build-up was dominated by the rushed finish to stadium construction and, even during the tournament itself puma suede heart reset pas cher , some stadiums were still unfinished and forced to deploy temporary seating and facilities.
In Russia, things are different, said Chris Unger, FIFA's top official overseeing Russian preparations, on Monday as he visited Moscow's vast Luzhniki Stadium, which will host the final in 2018.
"As we heard today puma fenty bow sneakers pas cher , they seem to be ahead of schedule (at Luzhniki) which is good for everybody, because the sooner they finish, the sooner we can begin testing," he said.
Earlier on his five-day tour of the stadiums, Unger had said St. Petersburg's new 69,000-seat arena puma fenty bow slide pas cher , set to host a 2018 semifinal, was back on track to open in mid-2016 and host Confederations Cup games a year later. The arena, planned as a new home for Zenit St. Petersburg years before Russia won the right to host the World Cup, is almost six years behind its original opening date which looked likely to slip back to 2017, when it will hold Confederation Cup games.
Meanwhile, a dispute over whether to keep the roof on Sochi's Fisht Olympic Stadium has been resolved puma fenty velvet pas cher , easing the preparations there. Unger said the inspectors were told the roof would now be removed to create a more orthodox World Cup stadium.
Those reassurances will be music to the ears of Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, who pledged before parliament in April that Russia's 11 host cities would avoid the "Brazilian scenario" - shorthand for delays, confusion and infrastructure chaos.
While Unger focused Monday on Russia's sporting future, around him were markers of the past - on the other side of the stadium's grounds stood Spartak Moscow fans bearing large funereal bouquets, there to mark the 32nd anniversary of Russia's worst sporting disaster. At least 66 Spartak fans were crushed to death at a 1982 UEFA Cup games, although some unofficial estimates have put the death toll as high as 340.
For the FIFA delegation's visit to Luzhniki puma basket heart patent pas cher , which hosted the 1980 Olympics, journalists were instructed to gather by a large, snow-covered statue of Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin, after whom the stadium was originally named.
Unger refused to touch on any topics with a political connection, repeatedly refusing to comment on Russia's problems with racism at football matches. On Tuesday, Russian champion CSKA Moscow will host Manchester City for a Champions League game in an empty stadium following numerous cases of racist behavior by fans.
Unger also defended FIFA's decision to send inspectors to three completed stadiums but not to seven arenas which have barely started construction. Those stadiums puma suede heart satin pas cher , all in Russian provincial cities, will receive "virtual inspections" which Unger insisted would still be rigorous.
"It's not something that we walk away saying: 'Oh, we've seen the plans, now we're satisfied," he said. "It's a process. We come back, we see what progress has been made puma fur slide pas cher , see if the plans are accurate, we validate."
Russian Sports Minister Mutko has raised concerns about two of the unvisited arenas, in Kaliningrad in the west the southern city of Volgograd, saying that costs may rise because of engineering challenges on their sites.
(Agencies)
SYDNEY, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- National selectors have opted not to redesign an Australia's cricket team in disarray, as the third match of a five match series against tourists South Africa looms midweek while captain and national hero Michael Clarke remains in grave danger of missing the summer due to a debilitating hamstring injury.
The Clarke-less Aussie's were decimated www.fentycreeperspascher.fr , Sunday night, by an unforgiving Proteas attack in Perth bundled out for a humbling 150 in 42 overs.
However, instead of producing the scalpel and going to work on a fragile squad, Chairman of selectors Rod Marsh said on Monday morning that the hamstrung captain had not been replaced in the squad, relying instead on the depth of talent in the current line- up.
Commenting on the squad, Rod Marsh told local media Channel Gold fenty puma creepers rihanna pas cher , "We have chosen not to replace Michael Clarke in the squad with another batsman."
"After considering the situation we believe we have enough batting depth for the next three matches of this series without calling in another player."
The South African Proteas are ranked a strong second on the ICC 's ODI rankings table with Australia sitting one place below them in third position.
The responsibility now falls to one of Australia's most audaciously talented (though also injury-vexed) paceman, the lanky New South Welshman Pat Cummins.
The 21-year-old Cummins returned to the One Day International ( ODI)squad for the first time since June 2012 following robust turnouts for his state and Australia at Twenty20 level.
His NSW teammate Mitchell Starc has also been called into the squad following a slight injury that has affected his form and pace.
Most interestingly the spearhead paceman and International Cricketer of the Year Mitchell Johnson is now being rested for the upcoming critical Test Match Series against world champions India.
All-rounder James Faulkner has also been included in the squad for the fourth and fifth matches of the series once he finishes playing for Tasmania in its Bupa Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia which finishes this coming Wednesday.
Stand out Perth performer and potentia.
