The Federal District Football Federation (FFDF) has upped the ante against match-fixing on local pitches. On Tuesday (20/8), the entity announced a collaboration with the online entertainment company Rei do Pitaco and the specialised data collection company SportRadar to put the Sports Integrity Partner Project into practice.

This collaboration aims to enhance the monitoring of betting activities in local football, with the goal of identifying and addressing fraudulent behavior through advanced data analysis and timely reporting to authorities.

To curb fraudulent actions in local football, the companies will offer analyses of match betting flows in online betting and tools for assertive control and monitoring of matches. If suspicious activity is detected, authorities and organisations will be alerted and possible investigations launched.

Present at the signing of the agreement were: the chief of staff of the Federal District's Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation, Marcus Uítalo; the undersecretary for Sport, Leisure and Sports Spaces of the Federal District's Secretariat for Sport and Leisure, Nivaldo Vieira Felix; the partner of Pinheiro Neto Advogados, Vicente Coelho Araújo; and the Legal Director of Rei do Pitaco, Rafael Marcondes.

The event also included a panel to explain how the monitoring system works and the importance of promoting integrity actions. The event was moderated by Fernando Vasconcelos, integrity manager at Rei do Pitaco, and included speeches from Felipe Marchetti, SportRadar's Integrity Manager, Daniel Vasconcelos, president of the DF Football Federation, and Fábio Macorin, undersecretary for Monitoring and Inspection at the Ministry of Finance's Secretariat for Prizes and Betting.

For the president of the DF Football Federation, Daniel Vasconcelos, the system will be a great ally in the fight against match-fixing fraud. ‘This partnership adds a lot to DF football and I hope it serves as an example for other federations. We, who are committed to fairness, only stand to gain, as do the fans. With a complete report, we'll have the information we need to report suspicious cases to the authorities who investigate and pass judgement. It's great to know that we can count on the public authorities and institutions like Rei do Pitaco in this fight for integrity,’ he said.

According to SECTIDF's chief of staff, Marcus Uítalo, integrity needs to be the rule in the business and sporting world. ‘This initiative is a watershed. We need to prove all the time that we are honest and upright, because sport builds character and saves lives. It's important to have actions like this, which separate the wheat from the chaff, so that serious companies can grow and drive those that aren't committed to probity out of the market. And to ensure that the passion of many Brazilians is not corrupted by illicit acts,’ he emphasised.

How the monitoring system works

At the event to sign the partnership, SportRadar's Integrity Manager explained that attempts to manipulate match results have been debated for years and that the Latin American market used to be a target due to low monitoring and few integrity initiatives. 

Marchetti explained how the monitoring system works, which is based on collecting data from sporting events. ‘From the observation, a standardisation is generated. It's possible to detect whether a particular punter has changed betting patterns, according to the results obtained, cross-referenced with geographical information, identification, search and various other criteria with the help of artificial intelligence. We send a complete report containing any suspicious activity within the games.’

He also clarified ‘that the report that is issued is already accepted as evidence by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS/CAS) and the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF), as well as having scientific proof endorsed by the University of Liverpool in England’. Based on the evidence found and reported, the complaint can be forwarded to the Public Prosecutor's Office and other authorities that investigate cases, such as the Federal Police.

On cooperation agreements

For Fernando Vasconcelos, the lawyer responsible for Rei do Pitaco's compliance and integrity areas, constant monitoring is essential to maintain the integrity of sports and ensure a fair competitive environment. ‘One of the pillars of Rei do Pitaco's work is to prioritise the security of our platforms, on which players form virtual teams. In other words, the concern about the possibility of manipulation in disputes goes beyond our virtual barriers and reaches the real teams, which are, in fact, the basis of our work with electronic games.’

So far six agreements - which are valid until 2026 - have been signed and another two are waiting to be finalised. According to the Legal Director of Rei do Pitaco, Rafael Marcondes, the intention is for the action to be extended. ‘There are sports federations that have fewer resources and even less visibility, which can become fertile ground for the manipulation of results. And the fairness of these disputes is in everyone's interest: Rei do Pitaco, Federations, government, society... After all, it's the unpredictability of the results that brings the excitement to the game. And this is one of our working tools,’ he emphasised.

A history of manipulation

Two of the last four editions of the Candango Championship have been in the sights of the authorities due to allegations of match-fixing. In 2021, people involved in the local elite competition, such as players, revealed a scheme to favour Formosa, Samambaia and Real Brasília. Former Formosa president Marcelo Lucas Ribeiro is said to be the mastermind of the criminal organisation. In the 2024 version of the tournament, the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Federal District and Territories took action and found evidence of manipulation in Santa Maria's matches, especially in the 6-0 defeat to Ceilândia and the 5-0 defeat to Gama. The internal turmoil resulted in the relegation of the team.