Brazil has seen a 45% drop in the number of suspicious matches compared to the same period last year. This is according to Sportradar, a sports integrity and technology company that is a partner of 15 state federations, the CBF, Conmebol, UEFA, and FIFA.
The CBF has also identified a reduction in the number of suspicious match reports received in 2024, of up to 65%. Clubs, federations, the CBF, and betting companies have adopted different practices to prevent and combat match-fixing. However, it is still too early to say whether the reduction is, in general, a direct consequence of these efforts, according to people working in the field. There is still much to be done.
“As in almost all crimes, match-fixers seek the greatest gains with the least risks. We have some factors: there is greater visibility of cases, a parliamentary investigation (CPI), regulation of the betting market, and ongoing investigations. We have specific actions, with conscientious players, educational initiatives, and training platforms. The more detailed reports for the federations also help because they provide a lot of data that assists investigations. All of this keeps match-fixers away,” explained Felippe Marchetti, Sportradar’s director of integrity in Brazil.
State federations join forces
Brazil finished first in this ranking in 2022 and 2023, with 152 and 109 cases, respectively. There was a 29% reduction from one year to the next, but the country remained in the global lead. Everything indicates that it will lose this position by the end of 2024.
A suspicious game is any game that shows “conclusive evidence” of match-fixing or with credible indications of manipulation. In Brazil, most cases occurred in soccer.
These games are concentrated in regional competitions, mainly in the second division or lower, organized by state federations. Different federations have sought, either individually or collectively, to promote measures to prevent and combat match-fixing. Today, 15 states have their games monitored with complete reports, while 12 states do not.
The Alagoas Football Federation (FAF) held a meeting with captains, coaches, and directors of the Second Division clubs before the state championship, which began in September. These clubs have access to an educational platform on the risks of involvement in betting and match-fixing. The state had seven games suspected of match-fixing in the 2023 Alagoas Cup, and another possible match-fixing incident in this year's second division (still under investigation). When the federation receives any suspicions, it forwards them to the local sports court, the CBF, and the police authorities.
“We are trying to expand this, to initiatives beyond just addressing match-fixing. We have spoken to other federations about how to adopt additional preventive measures. It is not possible to create a list of suspected athletes and forward it. There are discussions about defense mechanisms, but there are legal issues that make it impossible to take certain actions,” explained Felipe Feijó, president of the Alagoas Football Federation.
The Minas Gerais Football Federation (FMF) has strengthened its relationship this year with the Special Action Group for Combating Organized Crime of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Minas Gerais (Gaeco-MPMG) to exchange information on match-fixing suspicions. It is now part of an 'intelligence system' alongside police authorities.
This has allowed the federation to better identify warning signs, such as when the management of a club's football operations is outsourced. The FMF also provided training to the Sports Justice Court. Additionally, the organization included in its monitoring contract with Sportradar the ability to initiate a scan for suspicious betting activities.
“The first thing is intelligence, not just reacting after the fact. We can anticipate which matches may be targeted for manipulation. In the Patrocinense case, in Série D, we already knew there would be an attempt, so we informed the CBF, Sportradar, and the Federal Police. People need to be prepared for this issue. We are committed to integrity, and we’ve seen a significant reduction in potential incidents,” said Gabriel Cunha, FMF’s competitions director.
Educational actions
The next step, planned for the beginning of next year, is to provide awareness programs for clubs and athletes in Minas Gerais about the betting market: what is allowed or not, potential penalties, etc.
The Santa Catarina Football Federation (FCF) published a guideline with instructions and partnered with the federations of Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná for Sportradar's educational platform. The Sports Justice Court of Santa Catarina held a workshop focused on such cases. In 2024, the Santa Catarina federation signed a three-year agreement with the betting company Rei do Pitaco for monitoring adult competitions.
“The monitoring system provides information on any level of suspicion or irregularity or any unusual concentration of bets on a particular odd or match. It automatically identifies and reports in real-time, and then the federation can decide on the spot, even to cancel the match. We’ve had no suspicious cases this year, and we don’t want to have any,” said Rubens Renato Angelotti, president of the FCF.
Players unaware of restrictions
In recent months, Série A clubs of the Brazilian Championship have carried out initiatives to prevent match-fixing. In September, Palmeiras and Atlético-MG held lectures where players were informed about real-life cases, risks, and consequences.
“We already conducted this training last year, and we aim to do it at least once a year. We try to detail the nuances for the players, like the issue of relationships with friends, family, and people around them. The initiative was very well received by the team. They had a lot of questions and showed great interest. It demystifies the idea that football is immune to such issues. Players want to know more. There’s a failure in our industry in not educating them,” commented Fernando Monfardini, Atlético-MG’s manager of Compliance, Privacy, and ESG.
Education is considered the main pillar in the fight against match-fixing, as it tackles prevention.
Athletico-PR held a workshop in May, focusing on educating and protecting athletes from corruption, in partnership with Genius Sports, another sports technology and integrity company. Genius Sports works with the Premier League, the German Football Federation (DFB), the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the Brazilian Volleyball Confederation (CBV), and Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB).
League leaders Botafogo held a similar meeting in June, also with Genius Sports, involving both senior and youth team players. The session also addressed the dangers related to betting.
Botafogo’s owner, businessman John Textor, presented evidence to the Rio de Janeiro Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPRJ) regarding alleged match-fixing crimes in Brazilian football.
Many players in the top tier of Brazilian football are unaware of the restrictions on involvement with sports betting or the risks of sharing insider information with third parties, according to people who have participated in these meetings with Série A teams.
Source: ge
