Sportradar bolsters integrity in football at CBF training with CONMEBOL and Betano

At the CBF’s Integrity Training, Sportradar collaborated, sharing expertise on preventing match-fixing, reinforcing Brazil’s commitment to sports integrity.

Press release.- Sportradar played a pivotal role in the Integrity Training hosted by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in partnership with CONMEBOL and Betano. Held at CBF headquarters, the event brought together key stakeholders to address critical issues such as match-fixing, violence, and discrimination in sports.

The training convened representatives from CBF, CONMEBOL, Brazilian sports authorities, ministries, clubs, state federations, and the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD). Discussions focused on fostering a culture of integrity in Brazilian football, with Sportradar providing expertise and best practices to combat match-fixing, reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding the sport.

CBF president Samir Xaud opened the event, emphasising the organisation’s dedication to fairness. “We want a fair and respectful environment for those who play, those who support, and those who believe. Today, CBF publicly and unequivocally reaffirms its commitment to a culture of integrity, which does not yield to unscrupulous interests, nor tolerates any form of violence or discrimination,” he said.

Graciela Garay, CONMEBOL’s director of Ethics, Compliance, and Integrity, praised the alignment between the two organisations. “We must always be aligned. CONMEBOL’s mission is to support our member associations so that we are all on the same page. Brazil has important initiatives in this field, working jointly with ministries and intelligence agencies. CBF is an important strategic ally,” she commented.

The event featured multiple panels, including one moderated by CBF’s Integrity Officer, Eduardo Gussem, titled “Impact of the Betting Market and the Importance of Effective Regulation in Brazil.” Panellists included STJD President Luis Otávio Veríssimo, São Paulo FC’s ESG, Risk, and Compliance Director Roberto Armelin, and Rio de Janeiro Public Prosecutor Tiago Gonçalves Veras Gomes. Gussem highlighted the broad scope of integrity, covering not only match-fixing but also issues like homophobia, racism, and violence in and around stadiums.

Giovanni Rocco, secretary at the Ministry of Sports, underscored the need for collaborative efforts to protect sports integrity. He said: “Our main concern is to defend the integrity of Brazilian sport, the integrity of athletes, the unpredictability of results, and the passion of Brazilians, which is football. At the National Sports Betting Secretariat, we follow a principle: no one acts alone.”

Felippe Marchetti, Sportradar’s Integrity director for Latin America, highlighted the company’s role in the program. Marchetti said: “It is a pleasure for Sportradar to contribute to another edition of this important training program, now in Brazil, alongside our partner CBF. These initiatives reinforce cooperation between confederations and strengthen awareness of integrity at all levels of South American football.”

Lastly, Guilherme Augusto Figueiredo, country manager for Betano Brazil, also emphasised the importance of integrity: “Talking about sports integrity is essential to ensure that football and sports continue to convey values of fairness, passion, and trust. At Betano, we treat this issue with the utmost seriousness,” he noted.

The event underscored Brazil’s leadership in South American sports regulation, with the CBF and its partners, including Sportradar, driving initiatives to ensure football remains a fair and inclusive sport for all.