Brazil’s Senate launched a commission on Wednesday to tackle soccer match-fixing allegations, centering on claims made by John Textor, the top shareholder of Botafogo.
This team, despite dominating last year’s league, failed to win the championship, leading Textor to accuse the champions, Palmeiras, of match-fixing. Palmeiras has denied these allegations and responded with a legal complaint against Textor.
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The commission, made up of 11 senators, will investigate the roles of players, team owners, and sports betting companies in the scandal. Sen. Jorge Kajuru, leading the commission, emphasized the importance of evidence: “Brazil wants to know what proof he has,” he stated, indicating a rigorous approach to uncovering the truth.
Soccer legend and now Senator Romário, serving as the commission’s rapporteur, expressed a commitment to transparency and justice, aiming to scrutinize the betting industry closely.
The investigation will proceed with weekly meetings, set to last six months, as it seeks to expose any corruption within the sport.
