According to the rapporteur's plan, the CPI will work on the collection of testimonies and the exchange of evidence, seeking to identify the criminal structures behind the manipulation of results. The senator said he will ask for the sharing of data that the Chamber of Deputies already has on the subject. Romário also said the commission will seek to identify legislative gaps and propose projects to characterise the crimes and prevent their occurrence.

Another objective of the ICC will be to suggest inspection measures to public bodies to combat detected offences. The commission will also be able to propose the indictment of individuals and suggest sanctions for companies, if appropriate. According to Romário's work plan, the commission is due to work until October.

Based on research by the consulting firm Ernest & Young, Romário claimed that the football chain generates more than 57 billion reais a year in the country. According to the senator, football is rooted in the cultural matrix of the Brazilian people. Romário pointed out, however, that the sport also has a dark side, which requires the necessary supervision. He recalled that match-fixing cases have been on the rise in recent years, even requiring police operations against those involved. 

According to Romário, the IPC will work to ensure that "our main sport is free of corruption and manipulation".

"Football is more than a Brazilian national passion. Its social, political and economic importance transcends borders and mobilises tens of millions of fans. The team chosen to participate in this ICC is made up of senators determined to uncover the rot that exists in our football. Together, we will be able to give a great answer to society," said Romário.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Jorge Kajuru (PSB-GO), praised the fact that ICC members are passionate about football. He recalled that Romário was a successful footballer, and the commission's vice-president, Eduardo Girão (Novo-CE), was a former football team coach. Kajuru himself was a sports journalist for more than three decades.

Kajuru said the allegations are extremely serious and involve companies, managers, players and referees. He recalled that the ICC is a watchdog of the National Congress. The senator also said he was aware that the ICC would face obstacles, such as discredit from certain sections of the press and society. Kajuru said, however, that he was confident of the support of fans, football organisations and watchdogs:

“I have no doubt that this IPC will make history. In football parlance, it will not end in nil-nil. At the end of this CPI, Brazil will be in a better position to tackle corruption in football and thus maintain the credibility of football, which is one of the country's greatest cultural manifestations. May God enlighten us!”

Requests

Among the approved requests is one that asks the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to share "the information received by the organisation from the fraud detection systems of the company SportRadar, in relation to the 109 football matches that took place on national territory with suspected manipulation in 2023, according to the company's own report". Kajuru is the author of this petition(REQ 1/2024 - CPIAE).

There are also requests asking the Public Prosecutor's Office of Goiás for information on Operation Maximum Penalty (REQ6/2024- CPIAE) and asking the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Federal District for information on Operation Fim de Jogo (REQ 7/2024 - CPIAE). Both operations investigate the manipulation of football match results. Senator Romário is the author of both requests. There are also requests for exchange of information and assignment of officials.

Another approved request(REQ 21/2024 - CPIAE), authored by Kajuru, invites the president of Vila Nova Futebol Clube, Hugo Jorge Bravo, to speak before the ICC. According to the request, Bravo was the first manager in the country to denounce suspicions of match result manipulation.

Kajuru is also the author of the invitations to the president of São Paulo Futebol Clube, Julio Casares(REQ24/2024- CPIAE), and the president of Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, Leila Pereira(REQ 23/2024 - CPIAE). According to John Textor's complaint, five São Paulo players underperformed in a match against Palmeiras in last year's Brazilian championship. The match ended 5-0 in favour of Palmeiras and represented a turning point in the team's title-winning campaign. Palmeiras and São Paulo have already announced their intention to sue Textor.

IPC

The IPC on Sports Betting was installed last Thursday (11). Created at the request of Senator Romário(RQS 158/2024), the commission is made up of 11 senators and 7 deputies and is scheduled to last 180 days.

Agência Senado