Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Global CEO of SIGA and Chairman & CEO of SIGA LATIN AMERICA, recently discussed with Demétrio Vecchiolli, Estadão/Sport Insider’s senior journalist, the profound impact of Brazil’s upcoming accession to the Macolin Convention on Sport Integrity.
Brazil is poised to become part of a vital transnational network dedicated to combating match manipulation, with its full participation expected to commence in 2026. Following its official declaration of intent earlier this month, the country anticipates completing its formal accession by year-end, pending the fulfillment of necessary bureaucratic procedures.
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What Brazil’s Accession to the Macolin Convention, the International Network Against Match-Fixing, Means
Brazil is set to join a transnational network to combat match-fixing starting in 2026. After formally expressing earlier this month its intention to accede to the Macolin Convention, the country may complete its accession by the end of the year, once bureaucratic hurdles are cleared.
“In practice, what will happen? We will be able to share evidence, proofs, and administrative procedures. The exchange of information will become more effective for investigations and for imposing sporting sanctions,” explained Giovanni Rocco, Brazil’s National Secretary for Sports Betting and Economic Development in Sport.
Organizations had long been pressing Brazil to accede to the Macolin Convention (pronounced “Macolân”), formally known as the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions. Signed in 2014 and in force since 2019, the treaty currently has 50 signatories, including European nations, Australia, and Morocco. The Macolin framework encompasses far more mature betting markets compared to Brazil’s, which is newly regulated yet already massive.
“The problems have not disappeared—that is evident. But the Convention has established as robust a legal framework as possible, contributing to stronger international cooperation between sports authorities, governments, and other stakeholders. This is absolutely crucial for tackling global challenges related to match-fixing,” stated Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Portuguese CEO of the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA).
Medeiros, who is also CEO of the Association of European Leagues, foresees major progress once Brazil’s accession is ratified by both the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the competent Brazilian authority. The treaty establishes mandatory direct channels for faster, more efficient data exchange, facilitating investigations and coordinated responses.
“The Convention will allow Brazil to access formal mechanisms of international cooperation, facilitating the exchange of information, requests for operational and judicial assistance, alerts on suspicious bets, and coordinated cross-border investigations. This will boost efficiency in tackling match-fixing and associated criminal activity,” he explained.
As a signatory, Brazil will have to adopt stricter preventive practices, including risk assessments, implementation of educational programs, clearer governance rules, and whistleblowing mechanisms.
In addition, the Convention requires risk assessments, education and training for athletes, officials, referees, and other sports agents, while harmonizing integrity standards. “This tends to strengthen compliance within clubs, federations/leagues, and operators,” Medeiros noted.
According to him, one of the major challenges will be establishing a centralized system to monitor and analyze suspicious bets, issue alerts, and coordinate responses among authorities, sports federations, and betting operators. “It is essential that the creation of this platform be treated as a real priority. Portugal, for example, was the first country to ratify the Convention, but its National Platform only became operational in October 2024.”
At the request of Sport Insider, he listed five key areas where Brazil must still adapt to meet the Convention’s standards:
- Formalized National Platform
Although SPA and SNAEDE exist, Brazil must create a formal national hub to centralize betting information, issue alerts, and ensure data protection, with clear protocols for interacting with operators, federations, and authorities. Without such a platform, many operational advantages of the Convention would remain limited. - Specific and Harmonized Criminalization
The Convention requires match-fixing to be explicitly criminalized and subject to penal sanctions. While Brazil already has criminal provisions, legislation must be adjusted to better integrate match-fixing with financial crimes, money laundering, and counter-terrorism financing measures. - Clear Reporting Rules
The Convention requires betting operators to report irregularities and create confidential cooperation channels. While Brazil has regulations in place, effective and uniform oversight is essential to ensure consistent compliance. - Protection of Whistleblowers and Personal Data
The Convention mandates safeguards for whistleblowers and the protection of personal data. Brazil must ensure these protections are effective, especially in the context of cross-border information exchanges. - Resources and Integration Among Authorities
The Convention presupposes robust operational capacity, not just legislation. This includes the creation of technical teams such as integrity analysts and betting data experts, as well as cooperation protocols with international platforms, ensuring integrated action between police, prosecutors, regulators, and federations.
For example, in the case involving Lucas Paquetá, Betway – sponsor of West Ham -detected suspicious betting activity in Brazil and alerted the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA). IBIA then notified FIFA, which informed the English FA. However, the entire process, including the investigation, was slow.
According to Rocco, in addition to accession to the European convention, his secretariat has been working on developing a national match-fixing policy. At the end of the month, the government will host a training event in Brasília, gathering a civil police delegate from each state and one representative from each Federal Police superintendency, for three days of lectures and technical knowledge-sharing aimed at enhancing investigative capacity in match-fixing cases.
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