FIFA's Valcke hospitalized in Rio

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has been hospitalized in Rio for treatment of a urinary infection, a hospital spokesman said Thursday. Valcke, visiting Brazil to inspect progress in construction of stadiums for the 2014 World Cup, was admitted late Wednesday to Samaritano hospital, the official said. But he could not say when the FIFA official would be released. FIFA marketing chief Thierry Weil was quoted by O Globo's news portal G1 as saying Valcke "is fine" and that his condition was not "worrying. The FIFA secretary general had planned to give a press conference and meet with members of the Brazilian World Cup organizing committee here Thursday. But Weil will instead speak at the press conference. On Tuesday Valcke highlighted major delays in preparing six Brazilian stadiums for next year's Confederations Cup, a dress rehearsal for the 2014 World Cup. "Few stadiums will be delivered on time. Things need to be speeded up for the Confederations Cup," he said. The Confederations Cup is to be held from June 15-30, 2013, in four confirmed cities: Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia, where the final and the opening games will be played respectively, as well as Belo Horizonte and Fortaleza. FIFA is to make a final decision in November on venues depending on progress of the work on stadiums in the northern cities of Recife and Salvador. There is concern about Recife's Pernambucana venue, which is only 64 percent completed eight months before the tournament opener. Valcke praised the progress at the 64,000-seat Belo Horizonte facility -- the scheduled venue for one of the semi-finals which is 84 percent completed and will be delivered in December. Wednesday, Valcke inspect the works at the Porto Alegre venue, which also is running behind schedule.