Bill that increases penalties to Fan Statute is approved in Brazil

According to the Fan Statute, the offence of rigging or contributing to the rigging of results of matches or events can be punished with imprisonment from two to six years and a fine. The proposal states that this penalty will be increased by one third to one half in the case of a professional athlete, referee, assistant referee or video referee.

"The aim of the proposal is not to criminalise players and referees, but to remember the power of influence and decision that they have over the course of matches, and in the event of wrongdoing, to criminalise such conduct. We cannot fail to remember the case that became known as the 'Whistle Mafia', which was the name given to the scheme to manipulate the results of matches valid for the Brazilian Championship and the São Paulo Championship, both held in the 2005 season," said Bandeira de Mello, former president of Flamengo.

It is worth noting that FIFA prohibits players, referees, agents and people directly linked to football from placing bets. The organisation also prohibits any football player or professional from having direct links with companies or people who place bets and from sharing information with people who are going to place sports bets. If these guidelines are breached, the player, referee or agent can be punished with a suspension of up to three years and a fine.

"Football is much more than a sport, entertainment or business. Football needs to be respected and seen in its true dimension, as a driver of public policy. In addition, the measure is important to guarantee legal certainty for sponsors, investors and sports organisations. Although match-fixing is neither new nor unique to Brazil, it is essential to act to implement significant legislative changes, including stricter sanctions to further enhance the value of football," Bandeira concluded.