STJD defines new player suspensions for manipulation

The Full Court of the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) judged this Thursday (28) the 12 players accused of manipulating results in Brazilian football. Punishments are consequences of Operation Maximum Penalty, from the Public Ministry of Goiás (MP-GO). (Check out the punishments below)

The session started at 3pm and lasted almost six hours. The defenses asked, in short, that the court maintain the athletes’ sentences, which ranged from 360 to 720 days, and fines ranging from R$30,000 to R$70,000.

The athletes judged in the session were: Diego Porfírio, Bryan García, Nino Paraíba, Vitor Mendes, Dadá Belmonte, Thonny Anderson, Jesús Trindade, Pedrinho, Sidcley, Alef Manga, Igor Cariús and Sávio Alves.

Alef Manga’s lawyer, Dr. Levy Monteiro, recalled that the Coritiba striker confessed his participation in the scheme.

“In addition to being primary, having confessed, Alef provided concrete elements for the prosecutor’s office to make his appeal. The athlete will assume responsibility before the Public Prosecutor’s Office, he will have to be suspended, even if it takes some time, outside the country, but FIFA is doing”, he said in his 20-minute explanation.

FIFA has already banned athletes

On September 11th, the FIFA released the ban of three Brazilian players for involvement in a football match-fixing scheme: Ygor Catatau, Matheus Gomes and Gabriel Tota were banned from professional football by FIFA.

Furthermore, the entity that governs world football extended suspension sentences to the entire world for athletes involved in betting scandals in Brazil.

Players with extended sentences can still appeal the decision. They can sue the Court of Arbitration for Sport, however, the case is considered robust and the chances of a reversal are minimal.

The defenses

See below some excerpts from the players’ defenses.

– Dr. André Oliveiralawyer for the Ecuadorian steering wheel Bryan Garcia (former Athletico and current Independiente del Valle)

“Bryan, a foreign athlete, was co-opted by this scheme, he submitted, in fact, he received a yellow card, he confessed to the MP and made an agreement not to prosecute, and he has already made a payment of a large amount. The fine is already sufficient and accompanied by a severe suspension of one year”.

– Dr. André Oliveira, left-back lawyer Pedrinho (former Athletico and current Shakhtar Donetsk)

“I also put Clebinho (Fera) as one of the handlers, because they are all cut from the same cloth. Clebinho, he had a relationship with the Athletico players. He is a guy who stays there at CT (at Caju), and does everything for everyone. The guy who stands on the edge of the field, ‘what do you need, are you going to the club? I’ll get you a ticket to the show, I’ll take your son to school’. He had a connection, yes, with the players, he attended the CT . And it was very easy to sell these people, as in fact he did, and not just Pedrinho. The most curious thing, he gave a statement to the commission, said he met Pedrinho, went to have coffee near the CT, said he was a little injured, then the game was away, and maybe he would get a yellow card, to get the third and be spared from the next game. ‘I took that, I went to the guys, I said everything was ok’. But Pedrinho didn’t know anything. Clebinho confessed in testimony. ‘I sold it, I had privileged information and I sold the boy’. I’m not asking you to attest to Pedrinho’s innocence, but if there is proof that he is guilty.”

–Dr. Levy Monteirolawyer for striker Alef Manga (Coritiba player on loan to Pafos, Cyprus)

“In Alef’s case, in addition to being primary, in addition to having confessed and provided concrete elements for the prosecution to make its appeal, the defense understands that the voluntary appeal is dismissed, and that the first degree sentence, which was unanimous and fair to the case. The fine that you want to evaluate, the Public Prosecutor’s Office does not provide any evidence that justifies the increased penalty. The athlete will assume responsibility before the Public Prosecutor’s Office, he will have to be suspended, even if it takes some time, outside the country, but FIFA is doing it. The fine and the penalty are enough. And it is the court’s role to create mechanisms so that these athletes can be resocialized. Everyone is confessing their participation, they are remorseful. I understand that (the fine) must be maintained “.

Check out how the penalties were for the players

Nino ParaíbaPaysandu athlete, increases suspension to 720 days and increases fine to R$100,000;

Bryan GarciaIndependiente del Valle athlete and former Athletico, the 360-day suspension was maintained and the fine was increased to R$50,000;

Diego Porfírioathlete from Desportivo Aliança-AL; football elimination and increased fine to R$60 thousand;

Alef Manga, athlete from Coritiba (loaned to Pafos, Cyprus); 360 days of suspension were maintained and the fine was increased from R$30,000 to R$50,000;

Victor Mendes, athlete from Atlético-MG; 430 days and R$40 thousand in article 243, with article 191,III being absorbed;

Sávio Alves, athlete whose last club in Brazil was Goiás-GO; 360 days of suspension were maintained and a fine of R$30,000 was maintained;

Tony Anderson, ABC-RN athlete; the fine of R$40 thousand was maintained;

Dada Belmonte, athlete from América-MG; the 720-day suspension was maintained; fine maintained at R$70 thousand;

Igor CariúsSport athlete, maintained 540-day suspension and fine reduced to R$40,000;

Sidcleyex-Cuiabá, acquitted;

Jesus Trinityex-Coritiba, acquitted;

Pedrinhoex-Athletico, acquitted;