Corinthians statute reform: council president responds to CORI criticism | OneFootball

The behind-the-scenes at Corinthians once again witnessed developments regarding the club's bylaws reform this Tuesday (18), when both the Advisory Council (CORI) and the Deliberative Council (CD) spoke out on the subject, exchanging criticisms of each other's stance in the production of the draft bill released at the end of October by CD president Romeu Tuma Júnior.

The statements were published a day after CORI met to discuss the bylaws reform. At the meeting, held at Parque São Jorge, the body analyzed a report produced by the internal committee formed to issue an opinion on the draft bill and its compliance with statutory procedures, in which the group identified alleged “legal and statutory flaws,” as described in the meeting minutes, which Central do Timão had access to.

Photo: Reproduction/Corinthians

The document also reveals that, except for CD vice-president Leonardo Pantaleão, who participates in CORI meetings, all others present this Monday (17) approved the report's text. The minutes conclude with a reminder that the CD must respond to CORI's questions by this Friday (21).

CORI's Statement

The official statement produced by the body and published on Corinthians' website provides further details on CORI's position. In it, the oversight body stated it is “broadly in favor” of the bylaws reform, but emphasized that it identified “various illegalities” both in the procedures adopted throughout the process and in the content of some suggested changes.

For this reason, the body recommended canceling the meeting scheduled for the 24th, to allow for a more careful analysis of the text and its compliance with legislation and the current bylaws. In another section, the statement also addressed debates about establishing a SAF (Sociedade Anônima do Futebol) at Corinthians, stating that the topic requires specific and in-depth discussions, with the participation of those proposing such initiatives.

Finally, CORI reiterated that it maintains an open stance for dialogue and democratic participation in the process, emphasizing that its goal is to contribute to the institutional improvement of Corinthians.

Discomfort Behind the Scenes

Central do Timão found that CORI's position caused discomfort among political factions at Parque São Jorge engaged in the bylaws reform work. Supporters of the project drafted by the bylaws reform committee pointed out that, even though it has legitimacy, CORI has never submitted any proposal to amend the bylaws, as the Fiscal Council (CF) has done, for example.

Additionally, CORI was criticized for not sending a representative to the meeting organized by Tuma at the club on the 13th, when amendment proposals to the draft bill were discussed and accepted from various political groups within the club. Finally, an alleged contradiction was also pointed out regarding certain members of the Advisory Council, as they are part of a slate that not only submitted suggestions to the draft bill in 2024 but also had many of their demands accepted in the document.

Tuma's Response

The statement signed by Tuma and also published on Corinthians' website this Tuesday confirms the critical tone regarding CORI, as reported by the editorial team from other sources. In the document, Tuma laments that the oversight body's stance seeks, in his words, “to prevent the necessary statutory advances the club so desperately needs,” whose process has been underway since February 2024.

The text also stated that CORI never sent proposals or suggestions for the bylaws reform draft bill, but is now expressing itself in a way that, in the CD president's view, would delay the progress of the reform, the result of a “process that invited and listened to all Corinthians members interested in participating in this historic moment.”

The statement further highlighted that topics such as the Fiel Torcedor vote, accountability of directors, prohibition of paid positions for relatives of council members, overhaul of the electoral model, and definition of objective governance criteria and internal procedures would never be capable of harming Corinthians. According to the text, the real risk lies in “inertia, omission, and vanity.”

At the same time the statement was published, Corinthians council members received two documents from Tuma. One was a copy of the CD's response to CORI regarding the inquiries made about the draft bill. In the nine-page document, Tuma again argues that updating the club's rules was unanimously decided by the Deliberative Council in February 2024.

The letter also defended that the reform process has been conducted transparently and participatively, with the involvement of political groups, members, and fans, as well as public hearings open to all interested Corinthians supporters, and criticized CORI for abstaining from presenting suggestions during the discussion stages, limiting itself to what he labeled as “generic” criticisms.

In another section of the document, Tuma states that CORI is an advisory and guiding body, not a deliberative one, and that it is the exclusive responsibility of the CD to analyze and decide on the bylaws reform draft bill. According to him, CORI does not have the authority to suspend, veto, or declare nullities in the process, and all actions by the body should be made through formal proposals, as provided in Article 97, letter M of the current bylaws.

Finally, the document also reinforced that the reform provides safeguards for a possible establishment of a SAF at Alvinegro, requiring independent auditing and thorough due diligence, as well as a high quorum for approval, as a way to ensure legal security for the club. It concluded by asking CORI to “reflect” on the gravity of the club's current situation, stating that the CD will proceed with the reform.

Details of the Draft Bill

The other document sent by Tuma to the council members was a statement, jointly issued by the CD and the Bylaws Reform Committee. With 33 pages in total, the text details the origins of the proposed changes to Corinthians' set of rules, informing which suggestions were received during the drafting of the bill, when they were sent, and who supported them.

The details were presented in a table with four columns. The first indicated which group sent the proposal and on what date; the second showed the proposals from the group that were accepted, in whole or in part; the third listed which articles of the draft bill included the proposals; and the last column made observations on how the proposal was incorporated into the articles.

The first proposal listed in the table came from a group of 40 Corinthians council members and associates, sent in April 2024. Next, in order: a proposal from a group of 69 council members and 121 club associates; Slate 55 – Paixão Corinthiana; Slate 21 – Liberdade Corinthiana; Slate 82 – Movimento Corinthians Grande; União dos Vitalícios; Slate 22 – Preto no Branco; Slate 10 – Renovação & Transparência; Slate 77 – São Jorge; Slate 30 – Salve o Corinthians; Women's Committee of the CD; Slate 15 – Tradição Corinthiana; Slate 11 – Fiéis Mosqueteiros; Arquibancada 85; Organized Supporters; Coletivo Voz Corinthiana; and proposals present in previous attempts at bylaws reform during past administrations.

Next, the document lists 37 amendment proposals to the draft bill, suggested after the text was presented on October 27, also from various sources, such as the Bylaws Reform Committee itself, collectives like DELAS (formed by female club members), Voz Corinthiana, Arquibancada 85 and Família Corinthians, the club's Fiscal Council, and independent members and councilors. Finally, the last 14 pages display the names of all those who signed the requests made.

What now?

Thus, the impasse over the issue remains. For now, the CD meeting scheduled to vote on the draft bill is still set to go ahead, given Tuma's refusal to change the schedule. The resistance to complying with CORI's position could lead to the issue being taken to court, with the statutory process of the reform being challenged and even the meeting on the 24th being canceled by an injunction.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.