World soccer governing body, FIFA, has threatened to suspend Brazil’s national teams and clubs from international competitions if an intervention by its football federation (CBF) leads to the election of a new president in January.
In a letter to a Brazilian football executive, FIFA said that the CBF could face suspension if it does not heed its call to wait and instead holds a swift election to replace Ednaldo Rodrigues as president regardless.
According to reports by ESPN and The Associated Press, Rio de Janeiro court removed Rodrigues and all his appointees at CBF from office on 7 December due to irregularities in his election last year. Brazil’s two highest courts upheld that ruling last week.
The ruling against the 69-year-old Rodrigues could hurt Brazil’s bid to host the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and his quest to hire Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti to lead the national team next year.
FIFA historically rejects government and third-party interference in its member associations, which ultimately could leave five-time World Cup winner Brazil out of major competitions until the crisis is solved.
The Rio court ruling also named José Perdiz, the head of Brazil’s top sports court, as an intervener to organise new elections for the presidency within 30 working days. FIFA said in previous letters to CBF it considers the intervention to be undue.
Sunday’s letter was signed by FIFA’s Kenny Jean-Marie, its chief members’ association officer, and CONMEBOL’s deputy secretary-general, Monserrat Jiménez Garcia.
FIFA and the South American football body CONMEBOL also said in the letter they will form a commission to discuss the matter in Brazil on 8 January.
“FIFA and CONMEBOL would like to strongly emphasize that, until such mission takes place, no decision affecting CBF, including any elections or call for elections, shall be taken. Should this not be respected, FIFA will have no other option but to submit the matter to its relevant decision-making body for consideration and decision, which might also include a suspension”, the letter said.
“For the sake of good order, we would also like to underline that should CBF be eventually suspended by the relevant FIFA body, it would lose all of its membership rights with immediate effect and until the suspension is lifted by FIFA. This would also mean that CBF representatives and club teams would no longer be entitled to take part in any international competition while it is suspended”, it added.
The document also says that any irregular interference in its member associations “can lead to sanctions as provided for in the FIFA Statutes, including a suspension, and this even if the third-party influence was/is not the fault of the member association concerned”.
In a statement, Perdiz said he sees FIFA’s letter “as a positive sign”. He also added he will “call for the elections within the established deadline, with the transparency and integrity that are demanded”.
