posted by Paulo Vinícius Coelho

Carlos Miguel Aidar says that Clube dos Treze gave up competing in the 1987 Brasileirão. He didn't say this so explicitly at the time, when he was president of Clube dos Treze and the main organizer of the Copa União. He also didn't say so the following year, when, still president of Clube dos Treze, he made the agreement with the CBF to promote what was called the second Copa União. This one, won by Bahia and acclaimed as a legitimate Brazilian Championship.

Either they lacked the competence to fund their revolution or they lack the ethics to sustain their old ally's defense. In both cases, they fall short. Until 1992, the Brasileirão regulations stated that the trophy would be awarded to whoever won five consecutive editions or three consecutive editions. From 1992 onward, curiously the year Flamengo won its fifth national title, the regulations ceased to address the issue. In other words, the 2007 regulations don't mention that there is a trophy to be awarded. The old trophy rules also specified that the trophy would be awarded to whoever won it from 1975 onward, when the trophy was introduced into the competition regulations. Now, the 2007 regulations mention the trophy as "Brazilian Champion," a different trophy, a different story. During the trophy competition, São Paulo won it only twice. He therefore has no right to sue. Or rather, he had a duty to defend his old ally, Flamengo.