February 24 – The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has retained Juninho Paulista as national team coordinator after a conflict of interest arose over Paulista’s ties with Sao Paulo club Ituano.
CBF president Rogério Caboclo decided to keep Paulista in his role as national team coordinator, notwithstanding Paulista’s links with the company that manages Ituano. Through the company, Paulista had usufruct (essentially the right of ownership), but the CBF boss deemed that Paulista had not transgressed ethical norms.
“For him, the issue of usufruct was alright, leaving the club because, in practice, he no longer frequented the club, he didn’t manage any longer,” explained Caboclo to local newspaper O Globlo. “According to guidance from lawyers, he understood that the usufruct was enough, as long as he no longer exercised any power in the company.”
“When the news was published, I told him that it was not enough. He understood. He had to leave the company. That was enough. It is a question that belongs to the past. He left the company and life will continue as it was.”
Paulista has been working for six months at the CBF, a period in in which he would have benefitted financially from Ituano – during that period the club sold striker Gabriel Martinelli to Arsenal. A call up to the senior national team could enhance the status of the young marksman, lead to a new transfer and thus generate money for Ituano through the solidarity mechanism.
“There was no ethical error because he did not make any sale and did not use his position here for any type of business,” said Caboclo. “Martinelli’s situation (going to Arsenal) stems from before his arrival. And there is nothing to the departure of Edu Gaspar, who went post-Copa America to the club and had no interference at Arsenal. Martinelli’s business was triggered in March, before Juninho entered here (the CBF) and long before Edu went there.”
Caboclo’s decision, however, doesn’t end the investigation by the Ethics Committee of Brazilian Football, which Caboclo stressed “is independent.”
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1734784981labto1734784981ofdlr1734784981owedi1734784981sni@t1734784981catno1734784981c1734784981