Romário Opens New Inquiry into Brazil’s Football Match-Fixing Allegations

^{Pictured: Sen. Romário de Souza Faria}

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that Brazil’s Senate has initiated a fresh investigation into the persistent issue of match-fixing in football. 

The campaign is led by none other than Sen. Romário de Souza Faria, known simply as Romário, a revered figure in football with an illustrious career that includes stints at Barcelona, Valencia, Flamengo, and Vasco da Gama, and a World Cup victory in 1994.

Romário has called for the Senate’s investigation to leverage findings from a recent Sportradar report, which places Brazil at the top of the list for suspected match-fixing in 2023, with 109 matches under scrutiny — a decrease from 157 in 2022.

In addition to the Senate’s efforts, the Prosecutor’s Office of the State of Goiás has been conducting a separate year-long investigation into match-fixing. This probe has already led to punitive actions against numerous footballers, businessmen, and team officials, with some facing lifetime bans from the sport.

According to previously appeared information, Brazil might implement a ban on betting related to statistical indicators as a strategic move to tackle match-fixing in sports.