Brazil launches national investigation into soccer match-fixing
Brazil's Justice Minister has launched a national investigation into soccer match-fixing, with potential international repercussions
Brazil's Justice Minister, Flávio Dino, has announced the initiation of a nationwide investigation to uncover match-fixing within the country's soccer scene, with potential international implications. Following the suspension of several athletes involved in manipulating match outcomes, the Brazilian Federal Police will lead the inquiry, aiming to identify and address fraud in professional sports.
The investigation originated from a probe in the state of Goias, targeting fraud in the top league but expanding to second-division games. Prosecutors discovered that certain players had accepted payments ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 from match-fixers. Justice Minister Dino emphasized the need for thorough investigations into sports competitions, acknowledging the interstate and international ramifications of the evidence of result manipulation.
Various players, including Max Alves of the Colorado Rapids, Bryan Garcia, Pedrinho, Richard, Vitor Mendes, Nino Paraiba, Alef Manga, and Jesus Trindade, have been temporarily suspended by their respective teams amidst allegations of involvement in match-fixing. The implicated athletes have yet to release statements or comment on the matter.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBD) has requested the government to exercise moderation when penalizing the players, as it believes some of them may have been victims themselves. The ongoing investigation, initiated at the confederation's request, aims to centralize information regarding the identified match-fixing cases and ensure a comprehensive approach to addressing this issue within Brazilian soccer.