The match between Dourados-MS and Falcon-SE, scheduled for Friday (09), at 1 pm, in the last round of Group 28 of the Copa São Paulo de Futebol (Copinha), gained attention for off-field reasons. Even before the ball rolled in Itaquaquecetuba, a serious accusation went behind the scenes.
Last Thursday (09), Dourados formalized a complaint with the São Paulo Football Federation (FPF). The club’s coach, Alessandro dos Santos, would have been the target of an attempt to manipulate the result in favor of Falcon, who is still looking for a place in the next phase. Dourados, in turn, is already eliminated from the competition.
Manager confirms attempted manipulation
In an interview with ge, Arnaldo Alves de Souza, president of Esporte Clube Embu-Guaçu — a partner club of Dourados — confirmed the episode. According to him, the proposal reached coach Alessandro through a call from an unknown number.
Then, the interlocutor, who identified himself as Anderson Monteiro, would have asked Dourados to facilitate Falcon’s victory in exchange for unspecified benefits. But the Falcon board stated that they did not know this person.
According to Arnaldo, the coach immediately refused the offer and reported the case to the club’s management. The incident was reported to the delegate responsible for the headquarters, who took the necessary measures.
São Paulo Federation reacts quickly to avoid irregularities in the Copinha
The FPF released a statement stating that it is aware of the attempted manipulation. The entity called the Civil Police and Stats Perform Integrity, a company that monitors bookmakers on a global scale, to investigate the case.
“The São Paulo Football Federation informs that it became aware of an alleged attempt to manipulate the result before the Falcon (SE) x Dourados (MS) match, valid for the 3rd round of the Copa São Paulo Sicredi 2025, to be held this Friday ( 10)”.
“The Civil Police were immediately called, as well as Stats Perform Integrity, a partner company responsible for monitoring betting shops around the world, to monitor the group in question”, informed the entity.
Copinha has a history of combating manipulation
Since 2015, the FPF has taken concrete actions to combat manipulation in football. The creation of the Integrity Committee and partnerships with entities such as SIGA reinforce this commitment.
Copinha has also received a preventive approach. Athletes, technical committees and directors receive lectures on sporting integrity. Therefore, these measures are intended to prevent any attempted fraud during the tournament.
Furthermore, the Federal Government prohibited advertising by companies in the betting sector in matches of the main youth championship in Brazil. Furthermore, the measure prevents advertising of bets on uniforms, signs in stadiums and broadcasts of Copinha games.
The decision came after a meeting between the secretariat and Conar (National Advertising Self-Regulation Council). Therefore, the aim is to protect underage athletes, who make up the majority of tournament participants.
Falcon collaborates with investigations
To GE, Falcon stated, via press office, that he was also aware of the complaint. Thus, the club declared that it was collaborating with Dourados directors and the authorities to clarify the facts.
Meanwhile, the duel between Dourados and Falcon remains scheduled. The case, however, raises important questions about the challenges in the fight against manipulation in sport.
Falcon Futebol Clube spoke out saying that it strongly condemns all attempts to manipulate results. Since its foundation, the club has adopted principles of morality and respect, on and off the field. See the club’s note below:
“On the morning of this Thursday (9), we became aware, through the management of Dourados, of a possible enticement of a third party to manipulate the match scheduled for this Friday (10), in Itaquaquecetuba. Immediately, Falcon’s staff, together with the club from Mato Grosso do Sul, contacted the legal department of the São Paulo Football Federation, informing them about the case.
We reiterate our commitment to ethics and highlight that we are available to the competent bodies for any clarifications. We do not tolerate any type of scandal or corruption in sport.
The board”
So, with a win and a draw, Falcon leads Group 28 alongside Vila Nova-GO, both with four points. Carcará needs one more point to advance in the Copinha.
In the other game in the group, which is also worth a place in the second phase, Vila faces Aster Itaquá, third place, with three points, at 3:15 pm.
