Acting President Delair Dumbrosky says he signed the contract last Wednesday

Marcio Iannacca

From GLOBOESPORTE.COM, in Rio de Janeiro

Flamengo's board confirmed this Friday that it has already joined Timemania, a new lottery that will come into effect in 2008. According to the general vice-president, Delair Dumbrosky, the club signed the membership contract with Caixa Econômica Federal last Wednesday, the 12th.

From now on, the club will begin paying its debts to the government to obtain a debt clearance certificate. Once this document is in place, we will be able to receive sponsorship funds from Petrobras, which have been withheld since the beginning of the year, making it difficult for the club to meet its obligations.

President Marcio Braga is in London and arrives in Rio de Janeiro this weekend. He was a key proponent of the creation of Timemania, which will also include the participation of other Brazilian clubs.