Costa Rica's Celso Borges, right, waits for play to resume as Italy's Andrea Pirlo cools off with water during the group D World Cup soccer match between Italy and Costa Rica at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil, Friday, June 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
June 20, 2014 - 12:52 PM
TERESOPOLIS, Brazil - A Brazilian court has ordered FIFA to introduce water breaks in World Cup matches when temperatures reach 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit).
A labour court in the capital of Brasilia issued a temporary injunction saying the breaks are mandatory in the 30th minute of each half so players can get hydrated. FIFA had said it would only implement the breaks when its medical staff considered them necessary.
The court said in a statement Friday that the ruling was made after nearly two hours of failed negotiations involving FIFA and local prosecutors.
Brazil's players' union recently took legal action against FIFA to try to change the start times of more than a third of World Cup matches because of heat and humidity.
FIFA did not immediately answer a request for comment.
News from © The Associated Press, 2014