May 12 – The much-plagued Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) is experiencing an internal crisis with supremo Rogerio Caboclo (pictured) on the brink of exiting the governing body.
Globo and other Brazilian media report that Caboclo’s fate hangs in the balance after accusations of misconduct. A CBF employee, who was dismissed weeks ago, allegedly has evidence of Caboclo’s wrongdoing.
In 2018, Caboclo was elected president of the CBF and he took charge of the entity in 2019, when he also chaired the local organising committee of the Copa America. His term runs until 2023, but in the corridors of power of Brazilian football Caboclo’s reputation has nosedived with some describing his conduct as “erratic”.
Recently, Caboclo lost his temper in a virtual meeting with club directors when, after hitting his desk, with his fist he said: “You are fucked if you don’t have [championships]”. His words and tone were negatively interpreted.
When the unnamed employee departed the CBF, Caboclo also took leave for a week. He reportedly sought rapprochement with Ricardo Teixeira and his own mentor Marco Polo Del Nero. The former CBF bosses have suggested that Castellar Neto, a CBF vice-president and former chairman of the Minas Gerais Football Federation, could replace Caboclo.
The CBF has a long line of presidents who have stood down in disgrace. In 2012, Teixeira resigned from all his positions in the game after investigations at home and abroad, and he was later named in the US indictments. A Swiss prosecutor’s report revealed that, during his tenure on FIFA’s Executive Committee, Teixeira and his former father-in-law Joao Havelange took more than $41 million in bribes in connection with the award of World Cup marketing rights.
His successor Jose Maria Marin, who headed the CBF from 2012 to 2015, fared no better. Marin was arrested and indicted by US Justice on charges including racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. In 2018, he was sentenced to a four-year jail term, but released in 2020 because of Covid-19 outbreaks in US prisons.
Marco Polo Del Nero was also indicted by US Justice, but like Teixeira he has always denied all charges. Since May 2015, Del Nero has not left Brazil. In 2018, FIFA banned him for life from all football-related activity.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1734940022labto1734940022ofdlr1734940022owedi1734940022sni@o1734940022fni1734940022