Official Note - CBF Technical Council Meeting
By Flamengo Regatta Club - inClube de Regatas do Flamengo, having been informed of its invitation by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to participate in a meeting of the Technical Council, today, September 8, 2021, with a single agenda to deliberate on the return of spectators to stadiums for national competition matches, hereby provides the following clarifications.
Since public authorities allowed the return of football without spectators, Flamengo has maintained, clearly and unequivocally, that it is not up to the CBF or the clubs to decide whether or not there will be spectators in stadiums, as this is not a matter within their sporting jurisdiction.
In this sense, on September 26, 2020, Flamengo published an official statement explaining that, as the Federal Supreme Court (STF) had already decided, it is exclusively up to local government authorities to decide whether or not there is a possibility of spectators at sporting or other events.
Consistent with what it has always defended, Flamengo filed a precautionary measure before the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) aiming to obtain a decision that recognizes that it is not up to the CBF to interfere in the off-field and health issue that is the resumption of public attendance in stadiums.
The Honorable President of the Superior Court of Justice (STJD), Dr. Otávio Noronha, issued a preliminary decision recognizing that it is not the CBF's responsibility to address this issue (verbatim): "In principle, it is not up to the Sports Administration Entity to interfere and deny the implementation of the set of measures adopted by the State for the gradual resumption of activities – including with repercussions on the economy – because it lacks, in addition to competence, adequate technical support and the legitimacy attributed to democratically elected leaders."
After more than a year and a half of football without fans, Flamengo sees the return of fans to football, authorized by the responsible government authorities, as a matter of utmost importance, both in the relationship between clubs and their fans and also in the financial survival of sports entities.
It is worth mentioning that Conmebol itself has already recognized that the return of spectators to stadiums is a health issue that must follow the regulations of local governments, which is why Flamengo has already been playing with spectators in the Libertadores, regardless of the situation in other sports venues in this regard.
In this context, Flamengo, although always pleased to be with the other clubs and to be present at the CBF, as a matter of principle and legal logic, will not be able to accept the call made, because it understands that it would be a contradiction to participate in a deliberative session on a topic that is outside the sporting jurisdiction of the CBF, is reserved for local authorities and conflicts with the decision handed down by the distinguished STJD, in the person of its president.