With the approval of the impeachment of the president of São Paulo, Julio Casares, 64, by the club’s advisors on Friday night (16), his deputy, Harry Massis Junior, takes on the role on an interim basis.
Massis, 80 years old, was part of Casares’ management in the first three-year period, between 2021 and 2023, and on the ticket that was re-elected for the second, between 2024 and 2026.
He is part of the Vanguarda political group, which recently left the coalition that supported Casares, and voted in favor of impeachment.
Now the president of the Deliberative Council, Olten Ayres, has up to 30 days to call a General Assembly of members, which can ratify the decision of the counselors or vote for Casares to remain. Approval occurs by simple majority.
If the impeachment is also approved by the members, Massis will remain president of the club until the end of 2026, when new elections are scheduled to be held in São Paulo.
A lifelong advisor, the new president of the association is the owner of the traditional Hotel Massis, in the Consolação region, in São Paulo, and operates in the parking business with a chain that also bears his name.
A member of the club since April 1964, the top hat has held several management positions in recent decades in different administrations.
In the team’s first two world titles, in 1992 and 1993, he was deputy administrative director, under the presidency of José Eduardo Mesquita Pimenta, and was part of the delegation that traveled to Tokyo, Japan.
Between 2001 and 2002, under Paulo Amaral, he was assistant director of football, when Kaká emerged as a revelation at the base in Rio-São Paulo.
On social media, Massis often shares photos alongside politicians such as the mayor of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes (MDB), and governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), as well as travel records with the tricolor team in competitions.
The new president takes over the Morumbi club at a delicate moment on and off the field, with debts that are dangerously close to R$1 billion and a disappointing eighth place in the 2025 Brazilian Championship, insufficient to guarantee a place in the Copa Libertadores.
The next commitment for Hernán Crespo’s team under the new presidency will be the classic against Corinthians this Sunday (18), at 4pm (Brasília time), at the Neo Química Arena, in Itaquera, for the third round of the Campeonato Paulista.
São Paulo is coming off a 1-0 victory against São Bernardo on Thursday (15), scored by Luciano, at Morumbi, after debuting in the state with a 3-0 defeat to Mirassol, away from home. The team occupies 10th place in the league table.
