Brazil has made a significant advancement in combating match-fixing by signing the Macolin Convention, a key international treaty aimed at preventing fraud in sports competitions. The signing took place on Friday at the Council of Europe headquarters in France, highlighting the nation's commitment to collaborating on an international scale to uphold the integrity of sports.
The Brazilian ambassador to France, Ricardo Neiva Tavares, represented the Brazilian government during the ceremonial signing, which was overseen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and involved contributions from the Ministries of Sport, Finance, and Justice.
The Macolin Convention establishes cooperative mechanisms among governments, public authorities, sports organizations, competition organizers, and betting operators. Its primary aim is to enhance the prevention, detection, and handling of practices that undermine the fairness of sporting results and erode public trust in sports.
Giovanni Rocco, Brazil's National Secretary of Sports Betting, remarked on the importance of this development, stating, "Brazil is taking an important step in protecting the integrity of sports. We have already made progress with the creation of the National Policy for the Prevention and Combat of Match-Fixing in Sports. Now, with the signing of the Macolin Convention, we are expanding the possibilities for international cooperation. This work strengthens the fight against fraud and helps protect athletes, clubs and fans."
The Ministry of Sport has been closely involved in the negotiations for Brazil's accession to the treaty since 2025. This effort followed a technical statement issued by the National Secretariat for Sports Betting that advocated for Brazil's participation. In September of that year, the Brazilian government publicly declared its intent to join the Convention, which stemmed from a collaborative assessment involving the relevant ministries.
The Ministry of Sport has provided legal and technical support throughout this process and has taken part in discussions to ensure smooth progress. A critical initiative from Brazil is the establishment of the National Policy for the Prevention and Confrontation of Manipulation of Sports Results (PNPEMR) in March 2026, coordinated by the Ministry of Sport along with the Ministries of Finance and Justice, and supported by the Federal Police. This policy outlines measures for regulating, preventing, monitoring, inspecting, and addressing sports fraud.
Initially opened for signatures in 2014 in Macolin, Switzerland, the Convention has been in effect since September 2019. As of September 2026, it has been signed by 43 countries, with 17 having formally ratified the treaty. Notably, Australia and Morocco are signatories outside of Europe. With this signing, Brazil becomes the first nation in the Americas to join the Convention, enhancing international cooperation against match-fixing.
The treaty outlines various measures, including facilitating information exchange between countries, collaboration among relevant authorities, monitoring suspicious betting activities, and reinforcing accountability and prevention methods. Each signatory state is encouraged to establish a national platform to centralize information and improve communication among all sectors involved, thus assisting in identifying potential irregularities.
Recognizing that match-fixing often intersects with international networks, the Convention underscores the need for a unified approach to safeguard the credibility of sports competitions and maintain public trust.
Although Brazil is progressing toward official accession to the Convention, it must complete internal procedures, including presenting the treaty to the National Congress for review and subsequent ratification.
This signing reflects Brazil's enhanced engagement with global mechanisms to combat match manipulation, reinforcing the federal government’s pledge for a more ethical, transparent, and secure sporting environment.
