One of the most consistent athletes of the 2019/2020 Flamengo basketball season, power forward Leo Demetrio received news this Monday (3) of his official call-up to join the Brazilian National Team for the AmeriCup2021 Qualifiers, which takes place next year. Leo replaces Didi Louzada, who plays for Australian basketball and requested a release due to an injury. In a statement, the athlete's press office says that his recovery time would not be compatible with the selection window.

"Tests confirm the injury to his left knee and the Espírito Santo native's recovery is estimated to take between 15 and 20 days. The Sydney Kings (Australia) winger has requested release from the matches against Uruguay, on February 21 and 24, valid for the Copa América Qualifiers," says one of the excerpts from the official statement. 

On the other hand, Leo celebrates the opportunity.

"I'm very happy with this call-up to the Brazilian national team. It's an honor and a great satisfaction to be able to represent our country, and I'm going to use all my energy to take advantage of this opportunity and do my best," declares the number 71 of Mais Querido, who joins the already announced Jhonatan Luz and Rafael Mineiro.

 

About the Selection

Brazil will be training on February 16th in São José dos Pinhais, Paraná. The match against Uruguay on February 21st will be at 19:30 pm at the Max Rosenmann Sports and Leisure Gymnasium. and tickets are now available for purchase. The team travels to Uruguay on February 22nd and faces their rivals on the 24th in Montevideo.

The Copa América qualifiers divide 12 teams into four groups with four countries in each. The top three advance to the tournament. Brazil is in Group B with Paraguay, Uruguay, and Panama. In addition to the February matches, the team will play again in November at home, against Panama and Paraguay. There will also be an away match in February 2021 against the same rivals. The Copa América qualifies for the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

Before the CBB window, Flamengo still has some commitments in the NBB:

02/03 - Flamengo x Ceará Basketball

05/02 - Pato Basketball x Flamengo

02/08 - Mogi x Flamengo

10/02 - Paulistano x Flamengo 

The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo receive funding from their sponsors – BRB, TIM, AmBev, Rede D'or, IRB Brasil RE, CSN, Brasil Plural, and EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR) and the State Incentive Law/Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat of Sports, Recreation, and Youth (Seelje), in addition to support from the Brazilian Club Committee (CBC) resulting from the decentralization of resources generated by the Pelé Law. The Anjo da Guarda Rubro-Negro Project, a personal tax transfer, benefits all Olympic sports of the Most Beloved.