Fla seeks funding for its sports like a 'bird with its mouth open in the nest'

Mariana Kneipp - Globoesportecom

Flamengo's recent Olympic sports history can be written as a before and after the Novo Basquete Brasil title in June 2009. The more than 13 fans who packed Arena da Barra showed the club's directors that long-term investment outside of soccer can yield financial returns—a goal the club has defined as "indebted" by its own vice president of Olympic sports, Carlos Eduardo Maia. Unable to rely on federal funds to pay salaries and modernize equipment, the seven sports trying to develop talent at Gávea see hope in the promise of more aggressive sponsorship.

Despite knowing his plans may not materialize in 2010, as Flamengo will hold elections on December 7th, Maia promises to give more initiative to the club's marketing to prevent Gávea's biggest sports stars from being left without sponsorship. "My basketball team has five players on the national team. This needs to be demonstrated. We have a lot of money in basketball. We've even negotiated contracts for volleyball because of the team's success in the NBB. But to have a women's team, it's based on R$3,5 million per year, almost R$300 per month. Anyway, we'll try and pursue it. You have to be aggressive. Instead of sitting behind a desk, go out and visit the company. There's a lack of willingness here to knock on doors and present projects. Flamengo is open to everything, like a bird with its mouth open in its nest," said Maia, who took over as vice president in early August, but had previously held the position under Hélio Ferraz in 2003.

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Still without contact with the Brazilian Olympic Committee for the 2016 Games, the vice president says that Flamengo needs to "resolve its internal problems first." One solution is something that was initially proposed by the former president, João Henrique Areias, who called the proposal "Olympic Flamengo." Maia's project aims to create a third-party company that will receive federal investment on the club's behalf and then transfer the funds to Flamengo. "We've found an indirect route. We'll have a company that will make our project viable. They'll be responsible for the entire presentation and will transfer the funds to us. Because Flamengo has outstanding debts with the federal government, they can't take advantage of the incentive laws," says Maia.

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Judo

If he can make his plans come true, Maia already has the apple of his eye: Flamengo's synchronized swimming, for which the vice president says he has a "special affection." However, Flamengo's goal isn't just in the water. Once known for retaining athletes who served on the basketball, volleyball, and swimming teams, such as Oscar, Jackie Silva, and Fernando Scherer, Flamengo wants to regain the good reputation it had in the 80s and early 90s. "Our financial problems were a major obstacle. All the athletes left. We couldn't pay them. I remember that during my first term as vice president, in 2003, walking down Alameda da Gávea was practically a ordeal. Every hour, someone was asking for a salary. It was impossible. But now we're trying to rebuild Flamengo, and I'm sure we'll once again be a major source of high-performance athletes for the Olympics."