Dear President Lula,

I learned today, through a note published by the newspaper O Globo, that the President of Bolivia had called you to ask for the Brazilian government's support against FIFA's decision to ban games at extreme altitudes.

In fact, the FIFA Executive Committee, meeting in Tokyo on December 15, 2007, prohibited the holding of football matches, in its competitions, above 2.750 meters in altitude.

This decision was motivated by the recommendation of doctors specializing in the effects of altitude who participated in the seminar held in October 2007 at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, and concluded that: practicing physical activity at altitudes above 2.600 meters puts the health and even the lives of participants at risk.

In fact, in 2007, I forwarded to the Ministry of Sports, to the attention of Mr. Alcino Reis Rocha, who receives a copy of this email, an opinion from Flamengo's doctors with the same conclusion.

You can't play with people's lives.

The effects of altitude are extremely dangerous, as seen in the incident with Minister Tarso Genro, whose office also received a copy of this email, who fainted on December 17, 2007, during a ceremony in La Paz.

Dr. Cléber Araújo, his doctor, confirmed that the fainting occurred due to a "drop in blood pressure," exacerbated by the altitude of La Paz, which is over 3.600 meters above sea level.

Now, imagine the effects of these extreme conditions on athletes in full physical activity.

Unfortunately, there are still those willing to defend exposing athletes to such serious risks. On December 20, 2007, CONMEBOL Secretary General Eduardo Deluca declared that there would be no restrictions on Copa Libertadores matches in 2008.

This is absurd! We can't put athletes' lives at risk.

Therefore, as the Libertadores regulations determine that the club must contact CONMEBOL through the CBF, I sent a request last Wednesday for the entity to take a stand in defense of the lives of Brazilian athletes and demand that FIFA's determination prohibiting games above 2.750 meters of altitude be observed in the competition's games.

The CONMEBOL Executive Committee will meet next week, on the 22nd, in Santiago, Chile, to discuss the matter and the representative of Brazil will be the President of the São Paulo Football Federation, Mr. Marco Polo Del Nero, who has already been contacted by Mr. Sérgio Veloso, from the Ministry of Sports, who also receives a copy of this email, and has committed to defending FIFA's position, which protects the lives of athletes.

Furthermore, I ordered Flamengo's lawyers to take legal and administrative action with FIFA itself, which was done last Thursday when the club filed a representation with the entity.

The request made by the President of Bolivia is irresponsible!

I would like Your Excellency to evaluate the issue and help us protect the lives of Brazilian athletes.

Best Regards,

Marcio Baroukel de Souza Braga

President of the Flamengo Regatta Club