The president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), Marco La Porta, defended this Wednesday (11) the professionalization of sports management as an essential tool to prevent corruption cases, improve the financial health of the sector and attract new sponsors. He participated in a hearing at the Sports Committee of the Chamber of Deputies.
During the session, La Porta highlighted the positive impact of mandatory training courses, which began in 2024, on sports administration. Although the COB ended 2024 with a deficit of R$78 million, the amount was reduced to R$4 million by March 2025.
The leader also highlighted the importance of transparency in the use of public resources and advocated the decentralization of management. According to him, transfers to the confederations follow criteria such as sports performance, accountability and ethical governance.
Lack of rules hinders the use of sports betting resources
The use of resources from lotteries and sports betting (bets) was one of the central topics discussed. The COB president confirmed the receipt of approximately R$20 million from bets.
However, he explained that the entity has not yet been able to apply the values due to the lack of clear regulatory standards.
Marco La Porta said: “We understand that people who bet on the lottery are getting older, there is already a new generation betting on bets. That is why betting resources are so important for sport. Now we need to establish the rules on how we can use them.
There is a date now in July for the probable deposit of the other companies. If we don’t have the rule, it will remain in the vault.”
According to the director, the urgent definition of these guidelines is essential to ensure the effective use of these transfers, which can directly benefit the training of athletes and sports infrastructure.
COB Director talks about investments and training
COB’s general director, Emanuel Rego, emphasized that participation in training programs has become mandatory for athletes, managers and employees. According to the director, in the last year alone, more than 32 thousand people were reached by actions such as the safe sports program.
He also noted that the Lottery Law was a milestone for Brazil’s Olympic performance. From 2004 to 2024, the country won 106 medals, an average of 17.7 per edition, while between 1920 and 2000, there were only 64, an average of 3.4.
Transparency and incentives are a priority
With 304 employees involved in budget management, the COB has been adopting decentralization practices and valuing transparency. Emanuel Rego highlighted that the confederations have matured in resource management and, as a result, have started to receive more transfers from the entity.
Congressman Luiz Lima (Novo-RJ), who requested the hearing, criticized the lack of oversight in past administrations. He recalled that the lack of transparency contributed to scandals at the 2007 Pan American Games and the 2016 Olympics. According to him, the current administration stands out precisely for its clarity and responsibility in the application of resources.
COB’s perspectives on sports financing
Currently, the COB receives 2.2% of the lottery revenue, which totaled R$445 million in 2024 and is expected to reach R$465 million in 2025. New sponsors, such as Adidas and Neoenergia, in addition to the renewal with Caixa Econômica Federal, are driving growth.
Another point of debate was the importance of renewing the Sports Incentive Law (PLP 234/24), which allows tax deductions for amounts invested by individuals and legal entities in sports projects. According to consultant Jorge Bichara, the continuation of the law is essential for the survival of Olympic sports in the country.
Finally, Bichara stated: “The biggest sporting dispute this year is the re-enactment of the Sports Incentive Law. Its continuity is extremely necessary for the survival of Olympic sports in the country, which today is largely based on actions within clubs and social projects. Losing this battle will be extremely complicated for Olympic sports in Brazil.”
