CBF wants to change the way it deals with club complaints about arbitration

With the arrival of Sandro Meira Ricci to preside over the arbitration committee, the proposal is that the institutional debate will be concentrated on another relatively new figure in the structure: the arbitration director, Netto Góes.

Previously, protests and questions were always directed to the president of the commission. Rodrigo Martins Cintra was the previous name in the role.

The idea now is to revitalize the arbitration ombudsman sector and also leave to Netto the task of communicating with directors who, by chance, rebel against an issue on the ground. The return of the Brasileirão after the break for the World Cup brings tensions and spotlight to the national context.

"It's a dynamic that was built to strengthen governance within what we expect for arbitration with Sandro's arrival. Sandro needs to have this peace of mind to dedicate himself fully to instruction, technical training, implementation of new rules, implementation now of semi-automatic offside. It's a portfolio that has a very wide range of activities and taking on this role of interlocution with the clubs and federations will give Sandro that peace of mind", said Netto Góes, who attended the referees' training day this Wednesday (15), at Granja Comary.

“The idea is that we can shield the commission,” he added.

This does not mean that meetings with clubs after the rounds will end. But the idea at CBF is to reformulate the debate environment. The view of the directors and those in charge of the technical part is that the top hats used the occasion to raise issues that diverted the focus from the games' key moments.

In this format, Sandro and other members of the technical area only enter the circuit to provide a theoretical basis for any responses from the arbitration board.

SEMIAUTOMATIC ON THE WAY

Netto chaired the working group that culminated in the arbitration professionalization project. The current staff involves 72 referees, including those who work on the field, assistants and VAR.

Cartola do Amapá, he recognizes that the environment involving arbitration in Série A -especially due to the polarization between Palmeiras and Flamengo - will demand a lot of attention.

"We have a line of dealing with this in a very calm way. These are not decisions and training that will end any controversial decision-making (by the referee) that may happen. But the idea is that we have a very sober, very balanced relationship. And it is important that this relationship always remains open. Despite knowing that at some point there may be tension, the process is always this, of believing, implementing, investing and having this close relationship with the clubs. Because at the end of the day what we want is this. It's a better product for the clubs, a better product for the arbitration, for the CBF and for the fans", he said.

According to the CBF's accounts, there has already been an investment of R$7.1 million in fixed and variable remuneration for professional referees, between March and June. Until July, the entity's account is that another R$3.5 million was allocated to training between January and July. These numbers were presented at a meeting with the federations this Tuesday (14).

And there is still the semi-automatic impediment to leaving the paper. The CBF will hold a meeting next week with the clubs to announce the set date for the start of use of the new system in the Brasileirão. Another debate, at the beginning of August, will be about the new rules adopted by FIFA for the World Cup and the moment to apply them in Brasileirão 2026.

"Despite the pressures, despite all the polarizations that could happen, arbitration is going through a new moment. The CBF is going through a new moment. It's a moment of younger directors, a different mindset. I think all of this will culminate in strengthening. This change of mentality must also happen on behalf of the clubs. I think the clubs have also seen how much the CBF has invested in referee training, how much we have invested in professionalization, in new technologies. It's a maturation process", said Netto Góes.

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