CBF says that PM and authorities knew about single fans in the game between Brazil and Argentina

In a statement sent to the press in the early hours of Wednesday (22), hours after Brazil’s defeat to Argentina, the CBF stated that the staging of the classic between Brazil and Argentina with mixed fans at Maracanã was known to the Rio Military Police de Janeiro and all public authorities. The match was marked by a violent conflict between fans from both countries even before the ball rolled.

According to the Confederation, mixed fans are the “standard in competitions organized by FIFA and Conmebol”. The CBF reported that the security plans were approved “without any reservations or recommendations by the public security authorities present (RJ Military Police, SEPOL, Public Ministry, Fan Court, Municipal Guard, CET-RIO, Subprefecture, Concessionária Maracanã, SEOP, etc.), including the Military Police of RJ, in the first meeting held at the headquarters of the Football Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FERJ), on November 16, 2023, at 11:00 am”.

The CBF recalled the 2019 Copa América semifinal between both teams at Mineirão, which also had mixed fans, to emphasize that this was not a “model invented by the CBF”. Because the 2019 match in Belo Horizonte was a decisive knockout game, the confederation considers it to have even greater appeal.

Read the full note below:

“THE BRAZILIAN FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION provides the following clarifications regarding the incidents that occurred in the Brazil x Argentina game, held this Tuesday 11/21/2023, at Maracanã, valid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.

It is important to clarify that the organization and planning of the match were carried out carefully and strategically by the CBF, together and in constant dialogue with all competent public bodies, especially the Military Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

All planning for the game, especially the action and security plans, was discussed with public authorities in Rio de Janeiro in meetings held between the parties.

The action and security plans were approved without any reservations or recommendations by the public security authorities present (RJ Military Police, SEPOL, Public Ministry, Fan Court, Municipal Guard, CET-RIO, Subprefecture, Maracanã Concessionaire, SEOP, etc.) , including the Military Police of RJ, in the first meeting held at the headquarters of the Football Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FERJ), on November 16, 2023, at 11:00 am. In addition to the action and security plans, the meeting participants also dealt with the entire setup of the match operation, with the participation of all parties directly involved and responsible for organizing the match and public authorities.

On Monday (20), the operational plan for the game was also approved without any reservations or recommendations at the meeting held at the Maracanã Stadium, with the presence of the CBF, representatives of CONMEBOL, the RJ Military Police, the companies responsible for operating the Maracanã, and which operate more than 70 games at the stadium per year, and other public authorities.

Holding the match with mixed fans has always been the knowledge of the RJ Military Police and other public authorities, as it is the standard in competitions organized by FIFA and CONMEBOL, as occurs in the World Cup Qualifiers, in the World Cup itself, the America and other competitions. Other games between Brazil and Argentina, even with greater appeal, such as the 2019 Copa América semi-final, were also played with mixed fans. This is not a model invented or imposed by the CBF.

In other words, the entire action and security plan was drawn up and scaled already considering the game’s classification as red and with the presence of mixed fans, so much so that 1050 private security guards and more than 700 military police officers from the Military Police worked to secure the match. RJ.

Therefore, the CBF reaffirms that the action, security and operation plan for the match was strictly followed, as approved by the RJ Military Police and other authorities.

Finally, the only recommendation received by the CBF from any public authority throughout the entire period leading up to the match between Brazil and Argentina, was a recommendation from the Public Ministry, the 2nd Public Prosecutor’s Office for the Collective Protection of the Urban Order of the Capital , so that “football matches will NOT be held in the year 2023 with the format of making the full ticket load available through an electronic ticket presented by displaying the cell phone device, as occurred in the Copa Libertadores final match on the 4th of November 2023” and that “in the year 2023 require fans who approach the turnstiles to show physical evidence (paper ticket and/or fan membership card) that the fan has a ticket to approach the turnstiles at the Mário Filho Stadium? Maracanã, in order to avoid the invasion of fans who do not have tickets to watch the match.”

*With information from consultancy.

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Brazil loses to Argentina in a game marked by confusion and bitter defeat