Arbitrators association says it will sue anyone who makes accusations without proof | brazilian series a

Assistant referee Marcelo Van Gasse, president of Abrafut (Brazilian Association of Football Referees), stated this Wednesday that the entity will start civilly prosecuting anyone who makes insinuations or accusations without evidence against the category.

– Let’s start with the civil part. Because the person will have to prove what they are saying. We don’t want this to happen anymore. We are already going to the STJD, but we will do more – declared Van Gasse.

Van Gasse – who played at the 2018 World Cup – and Wilson Seneme, president of the CBF Arbitration Commission, complained about an escalation in both the quantity and severity of accusations made against referees in 2024.

– We are seeing a strategy of trying to transform referee decisions, which can be right or wrong, in situations of premeditation, into accusations of manipulating results – said Seneme.

– In 76 games this weekend, we identified five complaints. When we went to evaluate, there was only three reasons to complain – he added.

The head of CBF referees made no specific mention of John Textor, owner of SAF do Botafogo, who has made repeated accusations of match-fixing in Brazilian football, against referees, against players and against teams – always without providing evidence.

– The environment has become contaminated – lamented Seneme.

– The arbitration is good, it provides a good service. It can improve, it is imperfect, we are working on it. When a player misses a penalty, it is not the fault of all the other players. When a referee makes a mistake, it’s as if everyone makes a mistake – reinforced Seneme.

Last weekend, for example, defender Felipe Melo, from Fluminense, when complaining about a call from referee Raphael Claus in a game against Atlético-MG, declared:

– John Textor is right.

Felipe Melo receives a yellow card for a harsh tackle and complains about Klaus: “Textor is right”

After the match between Red Bull Bragantino and Flamengo, last Sunday, directors of the Rio club also made several complaints against the refereeing.

– What we hope is that people take more responsibility for what they say – declared Seneme.

Bruno Spindel vents against the refereeing: “They will always make mistakes against Flamengo”