The Congressional Inquiry (CPI) investigating match-fixing in Brazilian sports was established in April 2024, following serious allegations related to the manipulation of outcomes in the sport. This inquiry originated after accusations made by Botafogo owner John Textor, who claimed to possess evidence indicating that players from São Paulo were bribed during a key football match.
This inquiry is set to reach a pivotal moment on Wednesday when the commission will vote on the closing report by Romário, who has called for several indictments and proposed three new laws to combat match-fixing.
Romário has asserted that his investigation revealed a disturbing pattern of criminal behavior within Brazilian football. He described how players who are not well-compensated have been lured into match-fixing schemes, enticed by the prospect of lucrative contracts abroad. He also stated that club directors seeking investment were similarly targeted.
The findings of Romário's report will be sent to integrity agencies within the sports betting sector, highlighting a need for international collaboration to address the “transnational” threats posed by match-fixing.
“The current scenario of Brazilian football is at a delicate and worrying moment, in which the integrity of the most popular sport on the planet is being questioned,” Romário noted. “An effort is needed to reverse the damage.”
All documentation from the CPI will be submitted to the federal police and the federal public prosecutor’s office to facilitate ongoing investigations.
Romário's recommendations included three legislative proposals aimed at preventing match-fixing in Brazilian sports. One proposal seeks to enhance penalties for fraudulent outcomes in sporting events, recommending an increase to a maximum prison term of ten years, up from the current two to six years. This legislative change would also introduce a new crime specifically targeting “fraud in the betting market,” penalizing athletes who exploit confidential information for betting advantages. Additionally, any promotion or advertising of unrealistic betting winnings would become a criminal offense.
Another of Romário's proposals aims to implement warnings for gamblers, discouraging harmful gambling practices.
The third proposed bill seeks to limit prop bets, like those on yellow cards, as recent manipulation scandals have been predominantly tied to bets on isolated events. Romário pointed out that prop bets can facilitate match-fixing since they often do not influence the actual outcome of a game.
“The sports legal system also needs to face this new reality and improve its mechanisms to combat manipulation,” he explained.
Alongside the proposed laws, there is also a suggested amendment to Brazil's constitution requiring citizens to appear before a CPI if summoned, with the potential for police enforcement. This amendment responds to a recent ruling by the Supreme Federal Court stating that Deolane Bezerra, an influencer involved in illegal gambling operations known as “Operation Integration,” was not obligated to testify before the CPI despite being requested.
Romário's report has also called for three specific indictments related to match-fixing. Bruno Tolentino has been identified for his alleged role in a match-fixing case from 2024. Tolentino is related to Lucas Paquetá, a player for the Brazil national team, who is currently facing a series of hearings with the Football Association (FA) concerning breaches of betting rules that could lead to a lifetime ban. Paquetá was charged in May 2024 concerning spot-fixing violations.
Additionally, local businessmen William Pereira Rogatto and Thiago Chambó Andrade are also recommended for indictment for their supposed involvement in manipulation cases. However, the CPI will not pursue charges against Bruno Lopez, who admitted to participating in match-fixing but struck a deal with the public prosecutor’s office.
Romário has also recommended that the Ministry of Finance take action to oversee advertising constraints on gambling and initiate a self-exclusion plan for gamblers.
While Senator Eduardo Girão praised Romário’s report as “brilliant,” he pointed out several “omissions on crucial issues,” including a lack of reference to an article in Veja magazine that stated congressman Felipe Carreras had sought BRL35 million (£4.7 million/€5.6 million/$6.1 million) from the then-president of the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), Wesley Cardia, in exchange for safeguarding betting operators in Congress.
“The uncomfortable silence on this aspect of the report needs to be reassessed,” Girão remarked. “It is not good form for us to fail to explore all investigative possibilities.” He also criticized the appointment of Geovanni Rocco as the ministry of finance’s national secretary of sports betting, asserting that Rocco’s pro-gambling stance creates a conflict of interest in his position.
