The Independent Study on the Future of Brazilian Football launched with impact. The Inaugural Conference & Public Hearing gathered around two hundred interested parties in the MorumBIS stadium auditorium, offering moments of relevant expertise sharing and fundamental reflections on topics such as the creation of a Professional League in Brazil.
Mauro Silva
After the introductory remarks by Marcio Carlomagno (General Superintendent, São Paulo FC) and Mauro Silva (World Cup champion with the Brazilian National Team and Vice President of the São Paulo Football Federation), Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Chair and CEO of SIGA LATIN AMERICA and Global CEO of SIGA, gave a detailed presentation on the goals of the study that was commissioned by the Parliamentary Front for the Modernization of Football: to demonstrate the social role and economic dimension of football in Brazil by mapping the current scenario; identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats with a comprehensive, coordinated, and holistic view of football in the country; identify key areas in need of positive reform, considering best international practices; and recommend a set of suitable reforms for public policy formulation, providing appropriate and long-term solutions.
Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, coordinator of the Study, announced that the second conference will take place in April, focusing on “Structure, Professionalization, Sports Betting, and Financial Integrity,” and that Regional Public Hearings will be held between May and July.
Subsequently, the mistress of ceremonies Suleima Sena announced the members of six Permanent Committees of SIGA LATIN AMERICA, composed of experts who will be important in the elaboration of the Study.
After a coffee break, the discussion on the first topic of the day began: “The social function and economic impact of football in Brazil.” The mediation was led by Day Natale, a reporter for Cazé TV, who facilitated the debate between Denis Rodrigues (Chief of Social Participation and Diversity Advisory, Ministry of Sport), Cleila Teodoro (Partner, Arena ESG), João Paulo Medina (Founder and President of the Council, Football University), and Michel Fauze Mattar (Football and Sports Industry Specialist, Project Coordinator). Topics such as racism, the lack of psychological preparation of athletes from an early age, among other relevant issues, were addressed.
This was followed by the first public hearing moment and, right after, the second topic of the day: “The future of football in Brazil: perspectives of players and coaches.” Mia Lopes, journalist and CEO of Afroesporte, acted as the moderator for the debate between Joaquim Evangelista (President of the Portuguese Professional Football Players Union | Board Member, FIFPRO EUROPE), Marcos Boccanatto (Superintendent of New Business and Olympic Sports at Sport Club Corinthians Paulista and President of SITREFESP), and Sandra Santos (Football Coach and Former Director of Football Policies and Promotion of Women’s Football at the Ministry of Sport). Issues such as the psychological aspect of athletes, sexism, and cultural racism reflected on the football field, as well as new technologies and the modernization of Brazilian football in general, were discussed.
If participants and speakers made the lunch hour an extension of the morning discussions, it’s true that few were surprised to find that the afternoon part of the Inaugural Conference and Public Hearing maintained the pace and interest.
The afternoon session began with “The Future of Football in Brazil: The Perspective of Sponsors and Global Business,” moderated by Jaqueline Oliveira (Compliance Coordinator, São Paulo FC), with the participation of André Coutinho (Head of Advisory, KPMG Brazil), and João Pedro Paro Neto (President of the Board of Directors of the Pact pelo Esporte). Together they discussed the vision of sponsoring companies regarding dynamics and opportunities for involvement with the sport, including the role of sponsors in promoting integrity and social impact.
Moderated by João Ricardo Moreira (Chief Editor, CNN Brazil Sports), Fred Justo (General Coordinator for Monitoring Money Laundering and other crimes related to online betting and gaming, Ministry of Finance), Tiago Horta (Head of Integrity, Genius Sports), and José Francisco Manssur (Former special advisor to the Executive Secretary, Ministry of Finance) joined to debate one of the most urgent current topics in sports – not only in Brazil but around the world: “Sports Betting: Legislation, Regulation, and Integrity”.
Renowned experts in the field, the three addressed problems and opportunities related to the regulatory scenario of the sports betting market, including special attention to consumer protection and mechanisms to ensure responsible gaming, avoiding cases of addiction.
After another short coffee break, the Inaugural Conference & Public Hearing moved on to the ultimate point, “the Professionalization of Brazilian Football”. Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros opened the discussion with a lecture in which he mentioned his extensive experience of over 30 years in football management. During his career, the Global CEO of SIGA was one of the founders and CEO of European Leagues, and of World Leagues. He participated, as a Member, in the UEFA Professional Football Committee, the Football Strategy Council, he was a member of the UEFA Professional Football Strategic Council, and of the FIFA Football Committee.
Macedo de Medeiros launched for reflection the first ideas related to the creation of a Professional League capable of aggregating and defending the collective interests of Brazilian clubs, leaving warnings and the certainty that the country has the potential to be a world leader.
This was followed by a panel dedicated to the same topic, moderated by Chantal Pillet (integrity expert and partner, Blanchet Lawyers), with the participation of André Sica (Partner, CSMV Lawyers), Roberto Armelin (Executive Director of ESG, Risks and Compliance, São Paulo FC), Fred Luz (Executive Director, Alvarez & Marsal), and Fernando Monfardini (Compliance Officer, Atlético-MG).
The highlight of the day came from this panel, notably through the recognition by representatives of the two League projects (Libra and Forte) that it will be inevitable for the clubs to reach an agreement and move forward with a consensus project. André Sica, linked to Libra, and Fred Luz, to Forte, dominated the conversation, creating among the participants the conviction that the creation of a League capable of representing all professional clubs, as opposed to divisive and competing projects, is closer than ever.
Roberto Armelin and Fernando Monfardini, who were interested observers of the discussion between Sica and Luz, ended up focusing on Good Governance and compliance practices, after all, their areas of expertise.
The impact of this last panel amplified the good feeling left among those who attended the inaugural conference. An example of this, the words of Eduardo Bandeira de Mello, president of the Parliamentary Front for the Modernization of Football, at the closing session:
“It was a very productive meeting. We are very excited because the first event of the study was a success, it gathered extremely important testimonies and inputs that we will use in the next phases. I feel encouraged, but also fully aware of the challenge we have ahead. We have enormous potential to solve problems of Brazilian football, but also a very large legacy to try to recover.”
Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Global CEO of SIGA, closed the event with equally enthusiastic words about the collective recognition that clubs will have to understand each other and create a unique league:
“There was no better way to close this intense journey of reflection, in which so many viewpoints were shared. I feel motivated, because we had confirmation that there is a strong, vibrant, growing, consensual feeling that does not resign itself to the current state of things and wants to see progress now. I cannot fail to mention what we heard here. Two commercial blocks showed that the path is unity, convergence, what professional football has to be exceptional in order to respond to pressing and complex challenges. I am a leagues man to the core, and today I say that football in this country has a future, has a direction. This is a unique and unrepeatable moment in the history of football in Brazil.”
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