With cases of match-fixing in football still on the rise, the Federal Senate will have a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) to investigate this matter.

According to Senator Jorge Kajuru, who is expected to be the chairman of the committee, the work should begin in April . The opening of the CPI was authorized on March 12, following a request from Senator Romário.

Last year, a CPI on the same topic was held in the Chamber of Deputies, bringing together players, investigators and representatives from the CBF, the government and some betting houses to speak. The commission was closed without a vote on a final report.

But, after all, does this mechanism have the power to curb the practice? Aposta Legal Brasil spoke to experts on the subject.

Why do a CPI?

Law No. 1579 of 1952 grants investigative powers specific to judicial authorities to deputies or senators who form a CPI. Congress approves the opening of the commission whenever it is understood that a topic is relevant and has possible repercussions for the country, and deserves to be investigated.

By law, the CPI has the power to request the summoning of State Ministers, take the testimony of any federal, state or municipal authorities, hear the accused, question witnesses under oath and request information and documents from the direct, indirect or foundational public administration.

At the end of the CPI period, the committee members must approve a report, which must be forwarded to the responsible bodies, so that they can take the necessary measures.

Despite the power that the CPI has in the law, doctor and master in law Ana Helena Pamplona highlights that there is a lack of credibility in the instrument.

How does the CPI help?

She claims that she is unable to assess whether a new CPI to discuss manipulation of results is necessary or not, as she does not have access to the facts that led to its establishment, only to the media coverage.

The expert is concerned that political involvement in the matter could hinder the investigations being carried out by the Public Ministries, such as those in Rio Grande do Norte and Goiás .

“In Brazil, it is necessary to give an immediate response to any demonstration that appears. What I can say is that if there was one that didn’t lead to anything, it takes away the credibility of the one that follows, if there is no very solid fact to justify it,” he says.

The president of the Union of Lotteries for Integrity in Sports (Ulis), Ludovico Calvi, argues that the action of politicians can be beneficial, due to the greater impact on the issue.

“The role of politicians is to offer opportunities for actors in the fight against the manipulation of sports results,” he emphasizes.

Solution to the problem

Ludovico Calvi argues that a global network of actors involved in sports, betting and monitoring organizations must come together to solve the problem of match-fixing in sports.

He explains that this network is necessary to be able to track the entire manipulation process, from the entry of unexpected financial volumes into betting houses to the carrying out of manipulated bids in sports.

According to him, more effective than investigations to find those involved are prevention actions and actions to support sporting integrity.

“It’s not just the operational part, when bettors have already placed bets. What we can do beforehand is prevention, by entering football schools. It has a lot to do with social responsibility,” he emphasizes.