Copinha 2025 has its first controversy. This Thursday (09/01), a complaint of attempted manipulation of results in a game in the competition reached the São Paulo Football Federation (FPF).
The FPF, organizer of Copinha, contacted the Civil Police. Find out details about the case.
Which Copinha game is under investigation?
The game involved in the issue will still happen: it is Dourados-MS x Falcon-SE, which will be this Friday (09/01), at 1pm (Brasília time), in Group 28. This Thursday, Dourados presented a formal complaint to the São Paulo Football Federation after the team’s coach, Alessandro dos Santos, claimed to have been enticed by a third party to manipulate the result of the duel in favor of the Falcons. Dourados is already eliminated and Falcon is fighting to qualify.
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Group 28 has Falcon in 1st, with 4 points and surpassing Vila Nova-GO, which is in 2nd, in the tiebreaker criteria. 3rd place is with Aster Itaquá-SP, which has 3 points. Dourados is 4th and last, with no points.
Dourados x Falcon will take place in front of Aster Itaquá x Vila Nova, which will be at 3:15 pm (Brasília time).
In a statement to the website “ge.com”, the president of Esporte Clube Embu-Guaçu-SP, Dourados’ partner club, Arnaldo Alves de Souza, gave explanations about what happened. According to Arnaldo, last Wednesday, the Dourados coach received a call from an unknown number. The author of the contact, who later identified himself as Anderson Monteiro, requested that the team from Mato Grosso do Sul facilitate Falcon’s victory in exchange for benefits that were not specified.
Arnaldo refused the proposal and reported what happened to Dourados directors, who contacted the São Paulo Football Federation.
Also in contact with the website “ge.com”, Falcon stated that he did not know Anderson Monteiro. The club also sent a note informing that it was aware of the complaint and adopted measures together with Dourados directors.
The game, which will take place in the city of Itaquaquecetuba (SP), is maintained.
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Note from the São Paulo Football Federation
“The São Paulo Football Federation informs that it became aware of an alleged attempt to manipulate the result before the Falcon (SE) x Dourados (MS) match, valid for the 3rd round of the Copa São Paulo Sicredi 2025, to be held this Friday ( 10), and immediately contacted the Civil Police and Stats Perform Integrity, a partner company responsible for monitoring betting shops around the world, to monitor the group in question.
For the second year in a row, the FPF is carrying out an offensive against the manipulation of games at Copinha Sicredi through preventive lectures for athletes, members of technical committees and headquarters directors with guidelines and directives.
The FPF is the pioneering sports entity in combating the manipulation of competitions and results, with practical actions since 2015, through the creation of the Integrity Committee, monitoring of matches in real time and a cooperation agreement signed in 2020 with SIGA (Sport Integrity Global Alliance ), the leading integrity organization in sports.”
Note from Falcon Futebol Clube
“Falcon Futebol Clube strongly repudiates any attempt to manipulate results. Since its foundation, the club has always been guided by the principles of morality and respect, on and off the field.
On the morning of this Thursday (9), we became aware, through the Dourados board, of a possible enticement of a third party to manipulate the match scheduled for this Friday (10), in Itaquaquecetuba. Immediately, the Falcon staff, together with the club from Mato Grosso do Sul, contacted the legal department of the São Paulo Football Federation, informing them about the case.
We reiterate our commitment to ethics and highlight that we are available to the competent bodies for any clarifications. We do not tolerate any type of scandal or corruption in sport.”
