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A potential scandal involving the Copa Libertadores quarterfinal match between Flamengo and Estudiantes (ARG) in La Plata has gained prominence in the Argentine press. The NGO "Sport Without Drugs," represented by Aldo Sérgio Parodi, filed a formal complaint of "collective doping" regarding the match, alleging that no post-match drug tests were conducted.

FORMAL COMPLAINT TO THE ARGENTINE COURT

Aldo Parodi: "There was no relevant control in the international match between Estudiantes and Flamengo"

Aldo Parodi filed the complaint with federal prosecutor Ana María Russo of La Plata, based on Law No. 26,912, which regulates anti-doping control in Argentine sports. According to the document, the lack of post-match testing constitutes a violation of current legislation and "collective doping," since testing should be mandatory in international competitions.

The whistleblower also attributes responsibility to CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez, as well as the president of the Argentine Football Federation, Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, and the Minister of Tourism, Environment, and Sports, Daniel Scioli . For now, the prosecutor's office has not yet determined the next steps in the case.

WHAT THE DOCUMENT SAYS

" Argentina lacks laboratories recognized by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and therefore, there was no relevant control during the international match between Estudiantes and Flamengo . This constitutes a serious breach of the law," reports the text submitted by Aldo Parodi.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE FIELD

On the field, Estudiantes defeated Flamengo 1-0 in La Plata, a score that leveled the match after the red-and-black's 2-1 victory at Maracanã. With the aggregate score tied, the decision went to penalties, and goalkeeper Agustín Rossi shone, saving two shots , securing the Mais Querido a place in the Copa Libertadores semifinals.

EYE ON THE SEMIFINAL

Flamengo will return to Argentina on October 29th, when they face Racing (ARG) in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores semifinal. Before that, Filipe Luís's team will try to take a lead at the Maracanã stadium on October 22nd in the first leg of the decisive clash.

Flamengo's recent decision to go to court to block a R$77 million transfer from Libra is not only affecting the league's clubs, but is also causing turmoil behind the scenes at Gávea. What began as a disagreement over TV revenue sharing criteria has evolved into an internal political dispute, pitting the current administration against groups linked to former president Rodolfo Landim . This information comes from journalists Alexandre Araújo and Rodrigo Mattos of UOL.

CONFLICT OVER REVENUE DISTRIBUTION

The red-black board states that the current Libra division model will cause a loss of around R$100 million in 2025, compared to the revenue of 2024. Under the command of Luiz Eduardo Baptista (Bap), the management classifies the league's conduct as "illegal" , arguing that the judicial route has become the only alternative after ten months of impasse.

On the other hand, Palmeiras, Atlético-MG, Grêmio, and other Libra member clubs were surprised by Flamengo 's action. Internally, the measure is seen as an attempt to pressure the league to change its audience-based distribution criteria. In a statement, Libra declared that the issue was "exhaustively debated" and that it will "defend the legitimacy of collective decisions in court."

MEETING PROMISES TENSE ATMOSPHERE IN GÁVEA

While the external dispute unfolds in the courts, the internal repercussions will be felt at the Deliberative Council meeting, scheduled for Tuesday (7) . Officially, the meeting aims to “clarify doubts and align the next steps”, but in practice it should expose the political fissures within the club.

Although a significant portion of the board supports the lawsuit as a way to protect Flamengo 's interests, the handling of the process has generated unease . Members of groups allied with Landim, some still in the administration, criticize the way the situation was handled, without extensive dialogue.

One statistic has been causing discomfort within Flamengo: the drastic drop in ball time in recent matches . The problem, which reflects a chronic deficiency in Brazilian football, involves the slow pace, excessive stoppages, and constant referee interference, factors that have been compromising the quality of the games.

Flamengo on match stoppages: "Excessive stoppages compromise the flow of the game and the quality of the show"

In their last four matches, Flamengo has played less than 55 minutes of effective football in all of them . The most critical point came in the match against Juventude, which set a record low of the season, with less than 50 minutes of play. These numbers are well below the ideal for a high-level match.

AVERAGE BELOW THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD

According to international recommendations adopted by the world's major leagues, the ideal minimum playing time should be 60 minutes. However, Flamengo has consistently fallen short of this mark throughout the season .

A graph released by the club shows that the red zone, an indicator of matches with less than 50 minutes of ball play, was reached on more than one occasion, setting off a warning sign: “Flamengo's latest games have exposed a curious and alarming fact: the constant drop in ball play time and the slow pace , often imposed by excessive and unnecessary interference from the referee.

Excessive stoppages compromise the flow of the game and the quality of the performance. Excessive rigidity on the sidelines, nonexistent fouls, complacency with the game's timing , delays in replacements, and decisions that stall the game have become commonplace.

Against Juventude, for example, the ball's play time fell below 50 minutes, the worst rate of the season . The international recommendation is at least 60 minutes, but this has rarely happened. Brazilian football needs to move closer to global best practices to offer fans a more dynamic and fair game," Flamengo's statement read.

FILIPE LUÍS AND PLAYERS CRITICIZE REFEREEING

After the match against Cruzeiro, Filipe Luís, Léo Ortiz, and Saúl were emphatic in their criticism of the officiating . The coach revealed that, as soon as he learned of the referee's schedule, the group anticipated difficulties, and the performance confirmed their concerns.

"I've always avoided talking about refereeing, but it's difficult. When his name came up, we knew it would be complicated. The decisions aren't the same, and the criteria change during the game . Cards are given inconsistently, and this affects the flow of the match," said Filipe Luís.

NEXT REFEREE DEFINED

Next Sunday (05), Flamengo faces Bahia, in the 27th round of the Brasileirão. The match will be commanded by the referee from Pernambuco, Rodrigo Lima . The ball rolls at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), at Arena Fonte Nova, in Salvador, with broadcast by Premiere (pay-per-view).