It went wrong! Magazine cites CBF scheme with spending in Qatar, including millionaire salaries of directors

Behind the scenes of Ednaldo Rodrigues' management at the helm of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) were revealed this Friday (4) , in a report by Piauí magazine. The president's maneuvers and arrangements to ensure his reelection in the entity were revealed, in addition to millions in spending paid by the CBF on parliamentarians, figures from the artistic class and members of the Judiciary.

UNDERSTAND THE CASE

According to the publication, the CBF paid for a group of 49 people with no direct connection to the organization during the World Cup in Qatar, including first-class flights, a five-star hotel and tickets to Brazilian national team games . The “party” is said to have cost the organization R$3 million . The beneficiaries include a congressman, senator, judge, singer, businessman, journalists and socialites, as well as members of their respective families.

Ednaldo Rodrigues responded by stating that “it is common practice for sports entities to invite relevant people and personalities to attend major events,” he said.

Another point highlighted in the report is the salary adjustments for state federation presidents during Ednaldo's term. Until 2021, before the current president took office, the heads of affiliates received R$50,000. Currently, their salaries are around R$215,000, an increase of almost 200%, with the right to a 16th salary.

It is worth noting that Ednaldo was unanimously reelected president of the CBF , with votes from the 27 affiliates and the 40 clubs in Series A and B of the Brazilian Championship.

A special treat was given to Roberto Góes, president of the Amapá Football Federation and also vice-president of the CBF. The national organization paid for a stay at a five-star hotel in Jardins, an upscale neighborhood in São Paulo, and airfare from Macapá to the capital of São Paulo for the director to travel with his wife, sister and daughter. The reason was reportedly a surgical procedure for his partner, lawyer Gláucia Costa Oliveira. After the surgery, he asked to stay another ten days in São Paulo, a request authorized by Ednaldo.

It all cost the CBF R$114,000. Ednaldo stated that “the expenses of the families of these people (federation presidents) are paid for by them personally.”

Despite the high amounts mentioned, the report reveals the suspension of all air travel and accommodation paid for by the CBF for referees in the Brazilian Championship Series A , who were supposed to undergo training and physical evaluation every two weeks at a private club in Rio. The entity claimed budgetary restrictions and the evaluation began to take place only by videoconference.

The assessment was taking place in parallel with a project presented by Wilson Luiz Seneme, former head of the Refereeing Commission , who suggested the development of an exclusive training center, with a cafeteria, accommodation and football fields surrounded by video cameras for simulating plays, in addition to the creation of a referee school.

Both programs, estimated at R$60 million, were approved by Ednaldo. However, Seneme ended up being dismissed from the CBF after the accumulation of poor performances by referees last season. Refereeing professionals criticized the lack of funds to carry out the evaluations in Rio.

PAYMENT TO AN ADVERSARY AND COURT ACTION

The publication also details the payment of R$2.5 million to Gustavo Feijó by the CBF . The Alagoas club director was a rival of Ednaldo and was chosen by Flavio Zveiter as vice-president in the bid of the son of judge Luiz Zveiter to become president of the organization. At that time, Ednaldo was removed from his position due to legal dispute.

Arthur Lira (PP-AL), president of the Chamber of Deputies, worked for Feijó to become the head of his ticket, but the candidate withdrew after receiving payment, referring to a lawsuit against the CBF in Alagoas. Months before, already back in office, Ednaldo paid R$10 million to hire Maria Claudia Bucchianeri Pinheiro, Lira's former lawyer and current minister of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).

The report also provides details about the labor lawsuit filed by architect Luísa Xavier da Silveira Rosa against the CBF. Hired during Rogério Caboclo's administration to build 14 training centers, her resignation to go work at FIFA was denied by Ednaldo, who appointed her as director of assets, making her the first woman on the organization's board. However, the move was a “marketing ploy,” according to Luísa's lawyer. This is because the professional suffered “retaliation, loss of responsibilities and all kinds of humiliation,” in addition to receiving less than half the salary of her predecessor. As a result, she accused the president of moral harassment.

Luísa also witnessed the hiring of prostitutes to serve guests at CBF events and heard “all kinds of misogynistic comments.” She also reported “ingratiating compliments and unwanted invitations” from Rodrigo Paiva, former communications director, and Arnoldo de Oliveira Nazareth Filho, linked to the Amazonas Football Federation. In both cases, she filed a lawsuit for sexual harassment. Paiva, in response, stated that “his professional career has always been marked by incentives to deconstruct the culture of harassment.” The Amazonas director did not comment.