Fans return to stadiums for Serie A matches
By Flamengo Regatta Club - inRegarding the call made by the CBF for participation in a meeting of the Technical Council, today, September 28, 2021, with a single agenda to deliberate on the return of the public to stadiums for matches in Series A of the Brazilian Championship, Clube de Regatas do Flamengo informs that:
As is well known, since the beginning of the discussion on the subject, Flamengo has clearly and unequivocally maintained that it is not up to the CBF or the clubs collectively to decide on whether or not there will be spectators in the stadiums, as it understands that this is an internal decision for each club, provided it is approved by the competent authorities.
During this period, the Club published two official notes explaining that, as previously decided by the Federal Supreme Court (STF), it is the exclusive responsibility of local government authorities to decide whether or not spectators are allowed at sporting or other events.
For this reason, the club filed a lawsuit before the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) and obtained an injunction from its president, Dr. Otávio Noronha, who recognized that it is not up to the CBF to deal with this issue (verbatim): "In principle, it is not up to the Sports Administration Entity to interfere and deny validity to 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, the adequate technical support and the legitimacy attributed to democratically elected rulers."
After that, the rapporteur of the case, Dr. Felipe Bevilacqua, issued a decision suspending the effects of the decision until a meeting of the Technical Council was held, scheduled for September 28, 2021, making it clear that the same injunction would come into effect again on September 29, regardless of what happened at the Technical Council meeting.
Flamengo will not give up fighting for the right of fans of all clubs to return safely to stadiums, once the competent authorities have authorized the presence of spectators.
This release already occurs today in all host cities of Series A clubs, with the exception of the city of Salvador, in Bahia.
The continued ban on spectators in the Brazilian Championship Series A appears even more senseless when we see that, today, the games of Series B of the Brazilian Football Championship, a tournament administered by the CBF itself and attended by clubs with large fan bases, have the release of fans into the stadium as one of their main attractions.
At a time when the vast majority of countries are holding tournaments and competitions with spectators, it's unbelievable to see that, even with approval from the relevant government health authorities, there are still those who attack Brazilian fans and fight to keep them away from stadiums. For us, the right of fans across the country to attend Brazilian stadiums cannot be revoked based on the decision of a single local government official.
Club fans are the raison d'être of football. It is they who, with their presence, enthusiasm, and support, make football the biggest and most popular sport in the world. Without fans in the stadiums, football loses much of its appeal and spectacle. It is for these fans that all clubs must fight.
To our satisfaction, the fight we have been fighting has proven to be successful, with the competent authorities approving the return of spectators to stadiums.
Based on everything that has been stated, Flamengo reaffirms its conviction that it is not up to the clubs collectively or the CBF to decide on the return of spectators to stadiums.
Therefore, as a matter of principle and procedural and legal logic, Flamengo will not participate in the meeting, so as not to adopt a conduct that contradicts the position it has always defended.