Brazilian Football Confederation seeks global action against match-fixing

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has taken steps to address match-fixing within the country's football landscape as, in a statement released this Friday, it announced its intention to approach FIFA with a request that players implicated in match-fixing scandals on home soil also face restrictions on their ability to play internationally.

Moreover, the CBF has embarked on an initiative to collaborate with local confederations, ensuring that players subjected to penalties are unable to compete in foreign tournaments. 

This move comes in light of recent events that saw Eduardo Bauermann, a former Santos defender, receive a 360-day suspension, effectively prohibiting him from participating in Brazilian football. 

Subsequently, Bauermann signed a contract with Alanyaspor in Turkey, although he has yet to make an appearance for the club or be officially registered in any competitions.

The development unfolds within the context of the "Maximum Penalty" operation carried out by the Federal Police, an investigation triggered by the Public Ministry of Goiás into match manipulation and sports betting activities that have been ongoing in Brazilian football since 2022.

Thirteen players have been implicated in this operation, each facing varying degrees of penalty:

• Romário (ex-Vila Nova): Eliminated and fined BRL 80,000.

• Gabriel Domingos (ex-Vila Nova): Suspended for 720 days and fined BRL 80,000.

• Moraes (ex-Vila Nova): Suspended for 720 days and fined BRL 55,000.

• Gabriel Tota (ex-Juventude): Eliminated and fined BRL 30,000.

• Paulo Miranda (ex-Juventude): Suspended for 720 days and fined BRL 70,000.

• Eduardo Bauermann (former Santos, currently at Alanyaspor in Turkey): Suspended for 360 days and fined BRL 35,000.

• Matheus Gomes (ex-Sergipe): Eliminated and fined BRL 10,000.

• Fernando Neto (ex-Ceará): Suspended for 380 days and fined BRL 15,000.

• Kevin Lomónaco (Bragantino): Suspended for 380 days and fined BRL 25,000.

• Ygor Catatau (former Sampaio Corrêa): Eliminated and fined BRL 70,000.

• Mateusinho (ex-Cuiabá): Suspended for 600 days and fined BRL 50,000.

• Paulo Sérgio (former Sampaio Corrêa): Suspended for 600 days and fined BRL 50,000.

• André Queixo (former Sampaio Corrêa, currently with Nam Dinh, Vietnam): Suspended for 600 days and fined BRL 50,000.

The CBF, aligning with decisions from the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD), has sought to extend these punishments to international arenas. Players who have received definitive penalties within the national domain will be prevented from participating in foreign clubs as well.

This move essentially freezes these players within the CBF Registration and Transfer System.

The CBF Registration and Transfer Board, adhering to FIFA guidelines, has reached out to foreign federations via the FIFA TMS platform, directly notifying them of the STJD's final decisions. 

This process has also triggered action with the FIFA Disciplinary Committee through the Legal Portal of the entity to enforce international extensions of the STJD's judgements.

Addressing this global perspective, Ednaldo Rodrigues, President of the CBF, underscored the CBF's commitment to combating match-fixing, stating: 

“It is important to point out that, as soon as I became aware, through the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Goiás, of the allegations of match-fixing, I forwarded to the Presidency of the Republic and the Minister of Justice, Flávio Dino, a letter requesting that the Federal Police start to investigate the cases of manipulation of bets, and I had the request promptly answered.” 

"There is no possibility for our management, in any instance, to agree with any type of crime. All cases are being referred to FIFA, and those involved will respond wherever they are."