The sports betting CPI ended its work this Tuesday, 26th, without voting on the final report, prepared by deputy Felipe Carreras (PSB-PE). Four deputies asked to see the report, thus preventing the vote.
The parliamentary investigation that began on May 18 should have been completed on September 15, and was granted a 12-day extension, but did not reach consensus by the deadline.
The request for review, which would require two more sessions of the Plenary to analyze the final report, came from deputies Wellington Roberto (PL-PB), José Rocha (União-BA), Marcelo Álvaro Antônio (PL-MG) and Márcio Marinho (Republicanos-BA), who expressed dissatisfaction with the progress of the investigations and the rapporteur’s conclusions.
“I ask to see this report, which says nothing about anything. It doesn’t even say what stopped happening here, in this committee, which were approved requests for convocation and invitations that were not implemented”, criticized Wellington Roberto.
Marcelo Álvaro Antônio particularly complained about the non-calling of betting companies, better known as bets. “The report frustrated the expectations of those who would like to see serious work on this CPI”, he stated.
Deputy Felipe Carreras (PSB-PE), who had already released a preliminary report on the 19th, justified the non-accountability of bets.
“It was said by the attorney general of the Public Ministry of Goiás, who competently initiated the entire investigation that culminated in Operation Maximum Penalty, as well as the prosecutor of the Public Ministry and the Federal Police institution, who did not identify evidence from these companies. On the contrary, they were harmed.”
Bills
The investigations initiated by the Public Ministry of Goiás have already led to the indictment of 14 people and the banning of three players by FIFA.
In the report, Felipe Carreras had come to the conclusion that “Brazilian football, and sport in general, is very exposed to the criminal practice of manipulating results, due to the growth of the sports betting market”.
Even with the closure of the CPI without official conclusions, the deputy wants to continue with the four bills he suggested in his report. “In order to discipline Brazilian football and put an end to this segmentation of bets, that is, on yellow cards, red cards and expulsions”.
The bills also address the obligation for club managers, directors or coaches to report to the competent authorities the practice of the crime of sports corruption, under penalty of criminal liability; and the criminal classification of the conduct of exploiting a fixed-odd betting lottery without prior authorization from a competent body.
Last session of the sports betting CPI
The last meeting of the CPI saw a discussion by several deputies who wanted to continue the debate around the report, even without the prospect of a vote. But the president of the commission, deputy Julio Arcoverde (PP-PI), ended the discussion.
“The request for review causes the CPI to be closed without a report. There is no longer any point in having a meeting after it has been granted in advance. The session is closed.”
Over the course of four months, the sports betting CPI held nine public hearings and heard from players, investigators and representatives of the CBF, the government and some betting houses.
