To make the support official, the main team took to the field last Saturday (02), against Uberlândia at Mineirão, with a limited edition shirt containing the entity's brand.
Due to the company's principles and in favor of responsible gaming since the beginning of the partnership with’ Maior de Minas’, Betfair has waived its brand being displayed on the youth team jerseys. The prime space will be given to the Observatory of Racial Discrimination in Football during the 2024 season.
In order to formalize and highlight this partnership, the professional team of Cruzeiro took the pitch last Saturday (2), in the Mineirão stadium, against Uberlândia in the Mineiro Championship, wearing a limited edition jersey featuring the logo of the Racial Observatory.
According to Shane O’Driscoll, Betfair's marketing director, the initiative reinforces the company's commitment to ensuring that sports betting and its promotion are carried out responsibly and ethically.
"When we signed the partnership with Cruzeiro in January 2023, we immediately began negotiations with the board on how we could use the space on the youth team jerseys to make a positive impact, as it has never been our goal to expose Betfair in an environment involving young athletes."
"The responsible role of Betfair towards minors under 18 has existed even before the regulation of the betting market in Brazil and is now aligned with it. Betfair is, always has been, and will be vehemently against associating the world of sports betting with minors under 18," he emphasized.
"So, it is only fair to give this space to such a just cause as the Racial Observatory in Football. We hope that this partnership will help combat racism, but also contribute to educating youth about responsible gaming."
The Observatory of Racial Discrimination in Football is a project founded in 2014 that monitors and reports cases of racism in Brazilian football with the aim of exposing and combating racial violence and discrimination.
Thanks to the development of informative and educational actions, the Observatory has become an important consulting tool for public debate and knowledge-building within Brazilian football.
In 2023, the organization partnered with CONMEBOL to combat racism in South American football. The Observatory has been working on a racial literacy plan for employees and officials throughout the confederation, as well as closely monitoring awareness and education campaigns and events related to racial issues.
"Attention to youth teams is a fundamental step in combating racism and all types of prejudice, as it is where we are building the next generations. That is why this campaign is so important. We at the Observatory of Racial Discrimination in Football are pleased with this movement and hope that it becomes increasingly constant in our country," said Marcelo Carvalho, executive director of the Observatory of Racial Discrimination in Football.
For Gabriel Lima, CEO of Cruzeiro, it is a great honor to see the 'Raposa's' jersey carrying such a relevant issue in the current scenario.
"We are extremely proud of our partnership with Betfair and the initiative to allocate space on the jerseys of our youth teams to the Racial Observatory. This action reflects the essential values of Cruzeiro, which is committed to combating racism while also seeking to protect our youth from the dangers of irresponsible gaming. Together, we are building a safer and more responsible future for Brazilian football, ensuring that our future athletes can enjoy the sport they love in a healthy and ethical manner."
Cruzeiro and Betfair signed a sponsorship contract in January 2023 for a duration of two years. The agreement includes master exposure on the men's team, upper back on the women's team, and youth teams. Betfair's brand is also present on all digital media of Cruzeiro, interview backdrops, the team's official bus logo, and is the supporter of Cruzeiro's Caravan, held in the interior cities of Minas Gerais.
As one of the world's largest providers of online sports betting, Betfair is the official sponsor of the Cruzeiro team. The company, founded in London (UK) in 2000, was a pioneer in offering peer-to-peer betting (Betfair Exchange) and manages a complete set of sports betting, entertainment events, and online gaming products for over four million customers over 18 worldwide.
Thanks to its cutting-edge technology, the platform offers a wide range of products that allow betting with its own odds and odds offered by other users. Betfair is licensed to operate online betting and other games in 19 countries, including Spain, Italy, Malta, and Great Britain. Play responsibly.
Source: GMB
