Corinthians intervention: prosecutors on timing, evidence, next steps | OneFootball

Hundreds of Corinthians fans gathered on Wednesday afternoon (19) in front of the São Paulo Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP-SP) headquarters to push for the adoption of a court-ordered intervention in the club. The demonstration was organized by supporters’ groups such as Gaviões da Fiel, Camisa 12, Pavilhão 9, Estopim da Fiel, Coringão Chopp, and Fiel Macabra, and included a meeting between leaders of these associations and the prosecutors responsible for the civil inquiry investigating Timão’s situation.

In a press conference after the meeting, prosecutors André Pascoal and Luiz Ambra said the investigation is still in its early stages and that there is no estimated timeline for a possible lawsuit. The MP-SP representatives also stressed the technical nature of the inquiry and avoided making predictions about the outcome of the case.

MP-SP prosecutors spoke with the press this Wednesday — Photo: Reproduction

According to the prosecutors, the demonstration and the conversation with the supporters’ groups do not change the technical course of the inquiry, but they do play a relevant role in the transparency of the process.

“I believe it had no practical effect on the investigation, it did not interfere, in our assessment, with the way we are examining it, but I think transparency is important in a case like this,” one of the prosecutors said. They stressed that the Public Prosecutor’s Office is open to receiving demands from all citizens and that the presence of the fans reinforces the social dimension of the case.

Asked whether the inquiry could be concluded before the Corinthians elections, the prosecutors were categorical: “There is no possibility of us making any value judgment regarding this situation. Our work has not the slightest political character.” According to them, the inquiry is “absolutely technical” and may, or may not, result in legal action.

“There is not even certainty that such action will happen; that depends on our entire investigation, and there is also no certainty as to when,” Luiz Ambra stressed.

The investigation in the civil sphere, conducted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Public and Social Assets, was authorized by the Superior Council of the MP-SP and, according to the prosecutors, is just beginning.

“We are effectively still at the beginning of the investigation, but we are gathering a lot of evidence and working hard to build this inquiry as quickly as possible,” said André Pascoal. He recalled that the civil proceeding had been suspended until there was approval from the collegiate body for the investigations to continue.

Regarding the possibility that the evidence already obtained may be sufficient for a conclusion, the prosecutors said it is still not possible to disclose what has been uncovered.

“At the present time, it is not possible for us to report what we have found in the investigation. If it had already been concluded, we certainly would already have spoken out, one way or the other. So our investigation has not yet been concluded. Therefore, we cannot make that value judgment and we cannot disclose the information we have already uncovered,” they said.

The prosecutors explained that there are two separate lines of investigation. The first, criminal, is being led by prosecutor Cássio Conserino and has a more narrowly defined scope. The second, in the civil sphere, treats Corinthians as a historical-cultural asset and has a broader scope. They justified the MP’s involvement by the size and national and international relevance of the club, which make it part of the state’s cultural heritage.

Regarding the club’s cooperation, the prosecutors said that, so far, Corinthians has been providing the requested information. One of the steps taken was the testimony of president Osmar Stabile, accompanied by the club’s legal director and a lawyer.

“Corinthians has committed to providing all the information we request. So far, it has shown itself to be cooperative, but this is just the beginning of the inquiry.” They said new documents were requested between yesterday and today and that there has not yet been enough time to assess whether the pace of delivery will be adequate. The proceeding is under seal, and the prosecutors did not detail the content of the requests, limiting themselves to mentioning “copies of some files being processed there.”

The fans’ anxiety was one of the main points of the conversation with the leaders. The prosecutors acknowledged the expectation, but argued for caution in gathering evidence.

“On the other hand, we have to act with great caution in collecting evidence, even so that, if we do file a lawsuit, it is well grounded, with a solid evidentiary basis,” André Pascoal said. The concern is to avoid a weak case and ensure that, if there is an intervention, it is supported by solid evidence.

Asked about comparisons with the court-ordered intervention at Bahia, which reportedly lasted about two years, the prosecutors avoided making projections.

“It is difficult for us to make any kind of forecast. It is another state, the courts move at different paces, with different understandings,” they said. They explained that there are separate stages: first, the Public Prosecutor’s Office investigation; then, if there is a lawsuit, the Judiciary’s decision. Only after a possible court ruling is an intervenor appointed. “The judge defines the scope of the intervention, and then the ball passes to the appointed intervenor.”

The prosecutors also made a point of clarifying that a court-ordered intervention is not a punishment. “In reality, it is a procedure that seeks to protect the club’s interests, to safeguard the club’s interests. So if, eventually—we do not know whether it will get to that point—but if it does lead to a court-ordered intervention, the idea is to take measures so that the club can regularize the points that are not in order and get back to standing on its own two feet,” Luiz Ambra noted.

The MP representatives said that the meeting with the leaders of the organized supporters’ groups was a transparent conversation aimed at clarifying how judicial intervention works and avoiding false expectations about the outcome of the investigation.

“It was a conversation precisely to explain how the intervention works. There is a great deal of concern on the part of the organized groups’ leaders about giving people a proper overview of what is happening, without creating false expectations, and that is very important,” they said. They reiterated that there are “reasons that justify this investigation,” but that it is not possible to anticipate the outcome.

The prosecutors also commented on the role of the fans’ public demonstration. For them, this kind of initiative works as “a very interesting thermometer” to gauge the social impact of the case and reinforce the legitimacy of the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s actions. However, they stressed that this should not be confused with the body of evidence needed to justify a possible intervention.

“Without a doubt, this is very important, especially to emphasize our legitimacy, to demonstrate that we can conduct this investigation, to show that this matters to a huge number of people. But regarding the matter of evidence, whether or not the facts exist, whether or not there is justification for intervention, those are separate things.”

Finally, the prosecutors said they remain attentive to the information that emerges daily about the club, whether through social media or formal complaints. “All these situations that reach us end up becoming the subject of investigation,” they said. Their expectation is that the investigation will move forward with technical rigor, without artificial deadlines and without prematurely judging the merits.

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