CPI summons former referee on suspicion of match-fixing

The date for Glauber's appearance, which is mandatory, is scheduled for 13 May. He will be heard in a secret session. The audio presented to the CPI by Botafogo owner John Textor, in which he says he scored a dubious penalty to interfere with the result of the game, is said to be from the former referee.

Now retired, Glauber do Amaral Cunha has never refereed a match in the elite men's tournament. He worked one match in the 2018 Carioca Women's Championship, one in the 2020 Carioca Under-20 Championship, two in the 2022 Carioca Série B2 (Fourth Division) and one in the 2022 Série C (Fifth Division).

The CPI also approved invitations to hear referees Raphael Claus and Daiane Muniz, who was offended by Vasco coach Ramón Diaz for being in charge of the VAR operation during the first round of the 2024 Brazilian Championship.

The requests to hear the two referees were presented by the president of the CPI, Jorge Kajuru (PSB-GO). In the request, the parliamentarian mentions that Claus and Daiane were assigned to the same matches in 11 of the 38 rounds of the 2023 Brasileirão.

- The two judges were paired together in 11 of the competition's 38 rounds. By way of comparison, other pairs of judges were assigned to a maximum of three matches, which characterises a clear distortion in the refereeing roster - said Kajuru.

The president of Abrafut (the Brazilian Football Referees Association), Marcelo Van Gasse, told "Seleção sportv" on Wednesday that Claus and Daiane are considered to be the best in the country in their roles (field referee and VAR), which is probably the reason for their frequent selection in the same matches.

According to the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) and the Federal Supreme Court (STF), witnesses summoned by a CPI are obliged to appear to give explanations. However, they can remain silent during the hearing.

Only those being investigated have the right not to attend. In the case of an invitation, participation is optional.

Next testimonies

On Monday, the CPI will hear Hélio Santos Menezes Junior, CBF Director of Governance and Compliance; Júlio Avelar, CBF Director of Competitions; and Eduardo Gussem, CBF Integrity Officer.

On 13 May, Glauber do Amaral Cunha, a former football referee, will testify at a secret meeting with parliamentarians. The following day, it will be the turn of José Francisco Manssur, former special advisor to the Ministry of Finance, to be heard.

Leila Pereira, president of Palmeiras, and Julio Casares, president of São Paulo, are due to testify as guests on 16 May.

Senate CPI

On 10 April, the Senate set up a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry to investigate allegations of fraud involving players, sports managers and betting companies.

The collegiate body will have up to 180 days to complete its work, with the possibility of a 90-day extension. At the end of this period, a report will be drawn up with the CPI's conclusions, which can be sent to the Public Prosecutor's Office or the Federal Attorney General's Office, so that they can promote the civil and criminal liability of the offenders or adopt other legal measures.

The commission will be made up of 11 full members and 7 alternates (see the members here). The CPI's rapporteur will be Senator Romário (PL-RJ), author of the request to open the CPI. The chair will be Senator Jorge Kajuru (PSB-GO) and the vice-chair will be Eduardo Girão (Novo-CE), former manager of Fortaleza Esporte Clube.