The federal deputy, Júlio Arcoverde (PP-PI), president of the sports betting CPI indicated that the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Ednaldo Rodrigues, may be invited to attend the hearings.
The Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry began work on May 24 and investigates the manipulation of results in Brazilian football matches. According to Júlio Arcoverde (PP-PI), the priority is to listen to all the people who are involved in the Maximum Penalty Operation, carried out by the Public Ministry of Goiás (MPGO).
“Players, players’ unions, referees’ unions, association of betting companies, football entities, all will participate in the hearings”, stated Arcoverde.
The deputy also pointed out that a close investigation will be carried out so as not to commit errors that could jeopardize the career of players who are not at fault. “We are talking about a national passion that generates jobs, income and media. We cannot be cowards and point out someone innocent, just as we will not acquit the guilty”, he said.
sports betting CPI
The sports betting CPI had as its starting point the Maximum Penalty Operation, headed by the MPGO. The operation pointed to evidence of game manipulation in the two main divisions of the Brazilian Championship last year, in addition to state competitions in 2023.
The chairman of the commission, Deputy Júlio Arcoverde (PP-PI), who is also a former president of River-PI, believes that irregularities of this type have always existed, but have increased in quantity with the ‘boom’ of bookmakers’ and the opportunity to make guesses on several factors linked to sporting events, and not just on the result of the game.
Throughout the operation, Arcoverde supports the CPI to punish those involved in cheating, but also to seek solutions for the segment. The commission’s work plan also includes the presentation of bills to finalize the process of regulating sports betting in Brazil.
