RIO DE JANEIRO – The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) Ednaldo Rodrigues was removed from his post on Dec 7 by a Rio de Janeiro court, said the State Court of Justice.
The court annulled an assembly of the organisation held in 2022 in which Rodrigues was elected to lead the CBF until 2026, and named the president of the Superior Court of Sports Justice Jose Perdiz as interim head.
Perdiz will be responsible for organising a new election within 30 days, according to the court decision.
The CBF confirmed through a spokesperson that it is aware of the court decision and is analysing appropriate measures.
The ruling comes in response to a request from former CBF vice-presidents, who lost their posts under an agreement signed in 2022 by the CBF with the Public Prosecutor’s Office over the electoral process.
The case dates back to 2017, when the CBF changed its election rules without consulting representatives of Brazil’s top-flight clubs, whose voting power was weakened.
The winner of the ensuing presidential election, Rogerio Caboclo, was sacked from the job in 2021 over sexual harassment accusations – later thrown out by a judge. Rodrigues was named his interim replacement.
In the Dec 7 decision, the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice ruled that the conduct agreement signed between the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the CBF was illegal.
The court’s intervention in the CBF’s management could result in sanctions from world football’s governing body Fifa.
“Fifa has been made aware that an agreement concluded between CBF and the Public Attorney’s office of Rio de Janeiro may now apparently be at risk of being cancelled or amended by local courts,” it said in a statement.
“We understand that a possible cancellation of or modification to such agreement could impact on the outcome of the elections of the CBF executive board, which took place on March 23, 2022.
“We would like to remind CBF that Fifa member associations are obliged to manage their affairs independently and without undue influence from third parties, including any state authorities.”
“Any breach of such obligation may lead to potential sanctions as provided for in the Fifa statutes,” the global body added.
The ruling comes at a delicate time for the CBF, which is struggling to restore the Brazilian national team to their glory days amid a string of poor results, including a humiliating third straight loss in their latest 2026 World Cup qualifier.
Meanwhile, defending Copa America champions Argentina and their great rivals Brazil were drawn on Dec 7 in favourable groups for the 2024 edition, while hosts the United States will come up against 15-time winners Uruguay.
World Cup holders Argentina face Peru, Chile and Canada or Trinidad & Tobago in Group A. 2019 Copa runners-up Brazil are in Group D, alongside Colombia, Paraguay and Costa Rica or Honduras.
Group B features Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela and Jamaica, while Group C will see the US face off against Uruguay, Panama and Bolivia. REUTERS, AFP
