February 12, 2015 should have been a day of celebration for Flamengo basketball. beat SE PalmeirasIn a great and difficult game at the opponent's home court, Flamengo won 89-85, becoming the first club to reach the important milestone of 200 victories in the history of the NBB (Brazilian Basketball League). We are the most successful club in the entire impressive run of seven NBB tournaments.
Congratulations to everyone who participated in this beautiful journey: athletes, coaching staff, management, and above all, to the immense Flamengo Nation. From the first to the two-hundredth victory, we won absolutely everything during this period, in Rio, in Brazil, in the Americas, and in the world. Most importantly, we conquered our most significant title: "The Pride of the Nation".
There were 258 games in those seven seasons, with 200 wins – an excellent success rate of 78%.
At this moment of celebration, came the revolting news of the first confirmed walkover by the Full Court of the STJD (Superior Court of Sports Justice) for Basketball, due to the non-realization of the Flamengo x Pinheiros game on November 25, 2014. In a very swift judgment, in which – to give an idea of the importance given to the process by the body – the Prosecutor's Office did not appear – the court did not accept the club's appeal, in a vote that, once again, as in the first instance, was not unanimous (5x2). The rapporteur, who suggested the punishment, already had his vote prepared and only read it after the arguments were presented by Flamengo's lawyer.
The National Basketball League's STJD (Superior Court of Sports Justice) then imposed a defeat (without a game being played) on our club off the court, against Pinheiros. The decision to impose the maximum penalty is serious, as it has the practical effect of two defeats (we don't get the point for participation in the match), applied to a first-time offender with enormous contributions to Brazilian basketball, a factor that is taken into account in any court in the world. Championships decided in this way should already be part of a sad past of Brazilian basketball.
CR Flamengo once again expresses its indignation at the punishment, which is completely disproportionate to the event that occurred. We renew our protest against the lack of fairness shown by the National Basketball League in not denouncing other participants in the same championship. For example, Bauru Basket, for the cancellation of its game due to leaks in its gymnasium on November 18, 2014, in blatant violation of article 211 of the CBJD (Brazilian Code of Sports Justice) and article 5.1 of the LNB's own regulations.
We reiterate that the National Basketball League, in deference to the request of a founding club and for the sake of transparency, should have immediately commented on the existence or not of the clearance reports for all the gyms, which could change the interpretation of the STJD (Superior Court of Sports Justice). The excuse of the lack of statutory provision is weakened by the existence of a higher law, the Fan Statute, which requires such presentation.
Furthermore, CR Flamengo expresses its profound disappointment with the federal and municipal government agencies which, in addition to not helping us navigate the infernal state bureaucracy for the release of funds for the construction of our gymnasium with 100% private resources, allow the city of Rio de Janeiro to be left to its own bad luck in terms of high-level gymnasiums, just a year and a half before the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Last week, we had to give up hosting one of the semifinals of the Liga das Américas due to an absolute lack of venues for the match.
CR Flamengo will continue with its conduct, which has led us to be the greatest winners in NBB history. We are the current world champions, champions of the Liga das Américas, two-time NBB champions, and ten-time state champions. Even the NBA has recognized our strength. All this thanks exclusively to the talent and sweat of our athletes and the support of our fans, without any external help whatsoever. However, on the day we achieved the historic 200th victory in NBB history, we strangely lost a game with the result decided off the court, to an opponent that, coincidentally, we defeated in the week that concludes, by 21 points, on their home court. We won by 21 points on the court and lost off it, without a contested ball, without two- or three-point baskets. It is important to emphasize that, in practice, the biggest loser in this story will not be Flamengo, but some club that will be left out of the playoffs due to an external decision that has nothing to do with the sport, potentially leading to the unfair dismissal of several professionals next season.
Dear Flamengo supporters, despite all the difficulties and barriers imposed upon us, we will continue our fight with all our strength so that, if they wish to defeat us, it will be on the court, with the true merits of the winners we have had in the last two years. Our Legal Department is studying alternatives, which may even lead us to an appeal to international bodies, in the pursuit of impartiality.
Although we support the evolution of national basketball through the LNB (National Basketball League), we will never give up the freedom of expression and criticism, much less our rights. We lost a battle, but the war continues and we will go to the end in this story, no matter who it hurts, defending the interests of CR Flamengo and, above all, sporting decisions based on merit. May basketball games always be decided by who shoots, dunks, makes hook shots, converts free throws or makes a layup, and no longer by the power of a pen.
Red-black greetings,
CR Flamengo Board of Directors