The Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, through this presidency of the General Assembly, published the notice that scheduled the elections for December 4, 2021, a Saturday, at Flamengo's headquarters, from 8 am to 21 pm.

In compliance with the provisions of the Club's Statute, as amended in 2014, the election was scheduled in person, as this was how the members and advisors of Flamengo's Deliberative Council decided to register it in the statute in 2014, with the intention of avoiding possible fraud in remote voting and in its counting.

It is important to clarify that, during the severe pandemic we are facing, this Presidency was aware of a legislative change, in which clubs were not invited to participate, providing for remote voting, in a clear allusion to the moment of social distancing we were experiencing.

However, the CRF Statute is not adapted for this purpose, as there are no minimum rules governing how remote voting and its counting would be conducted fairly, securely, and respectfully. The lack of rules would put the entire electoral process at risk, allowing it to be challenged, including regarding its good faith, which is inconsistent with Clube de Regatas do Flamengo's transparent and democratic history.

 

In order to implement a remote voting process, there must be clear and precise rules that guarantee the secrecy of votes and the integrity of the entire electoral process, ensuring that it is immune to any type of fraud.

It is important to emphasize here that it was not possible to make a statutory change in a timely manner, as the CRF Statute prohibits changing the electoral process in an election year, which is why this adaptation will only have to be made next year (2022), so that it can be submitted to the members and advisors, who are responsible for deciding this issue, in accordance with our Statute.

Given the end of social distancing rules, and that current municipal legislation allows 100% (one hundred percent) attendance at assembly meetings, there was no reason for the election to no longer be held in person, at the club's headquarters, as expressly determined by the statute, given the statutory amendment made in 2014.

As CRF leaders and members, our greatest obligation is to comply with and enforce the Club's Bylaws. And so we did.

 

However, we were recently informed that there was a court decision determining that the election should be held in a manner contrary to the statute.  Our guidance will be to file an appeal in the confidence that the Court of Justice will consider this issue with greater serenity.

Once Flamengo, Flamengo until death.

Marcelo Conti Baltazar, President of the General Assembly