Paraná may have its debut in the 2024 Access Division postponed

The only competition on the calendar Paraná Clubthe second division of Paraná Championship may be postponed after the Paraná Sports Court of Justice (TJD-PR) punished the Sport Club Campo Mourão for casting a player as a stretcher bearer in a match last year.

The access division is scheduled to begin on April 30th, as announced by the Paraná Football Federation (FPF). With the TJD-PR decision, handed down on February 21st, however, the competition may be halted until the final resolution of the case.

Campo Mourão competes in the third division of the State Championship, which took place between the months of September and December 2023, and classified Paranavaí and Nacional-PR for second place. During the competition, in October, Campo Mourão selected striker Cassio irregularly. He had received his third yellow card in the previous match and was suspended, but was used as the team’s stretcher bearer.

On November 28, Prudentópolis, which also competes in the Third Division, filed a complaint against Campo Mourão asking that the team be punished for the irregularity. The TJD-PR punished the team with a loss of twelve points and a fine of R$1,000.

Club wants second division to stop

With the punishment, Campo Mourão, which finished the State Championship with 18 points, in first place in group A, would actually have six points, placing fourth. This change would take the team out of the semi-final and place Hope Internacional, who finished third in the group.

With the change, the semifinal clashes would change, which could even change the two teams that would gain access.

Given the panorama, Prudentópolis, which was also in group A, and finished the first phase in second place, being eliminated in the semi-finals by Paranavaí, entered this Thursday (29) with a request to the TJD-PR for the strike to take place of the Second Division this year until the end of the process.

The club also requests that the semi-finals be re-done with Prudentópolis facing Paranavaí and Hope against Nacional.

In contact with UmDois Esportes, Prudentópolis’ lawyer, Paulo Giffhorn, stated that the club is awaiting the TJD-PR’s assessment of the case.

“If there is no appeal or even the decision of the 3rd TJD Disciplinary Commission is maintained on appeal, we also ask that the semi-finals be redone, so that Prudentópolis FC’s right to face AC Paranavaí is guaranteed, with the advantage of deciding the classification at home,” he said.

Hope Internacional stated that it does not intend to file any request with TJD-PR, as the club is focused on youth competitions. But the club proposed to comply with what the body decides, if the games are replayed.

What Campo Mourão says

Campo Mourão will appeal and ask for the suspension of the loss of points. According to the club’s lawyer, Nixon Fiori, the team is supported by a technical opinion from the FPF. In defending the process, Fiori argues that the stretcher bearer’s role does not interfere with the final result of the game.

“The legal interest protected by article 214 of the CBJD is to avoid the selection of an athlete who is in an irregular situation, whether documentary or disciplinary, so as not to interfere with the sporting effects of a race. The stretcher bearer’s role is merely to support the progress of the match, without there being any interference in the final result, forcing an interpretation of the application of article 214 of the CBJD to the case”, writes the lawyer.

In contact with the OneTwo SportsFiori states that Campo Mourão will appeal against the TJD-PR decision.

“If in a possible exodus in favor of Prudentópolis, what he can do is seek civil compensation. But, redoing the games is very difficult as there is already jurisprudence in relation to this. We will try to reverse it here in the Full Court, or in the third instance in the Rio de Janeiro”, said the lawyer.