Playboy investor slams Caboclo bid, rows again with online foe | OneFootball

As expected, the unofficial launch of Rogério Caboclo’s candidacy for the São Paulo presidency, backed by Olten Ayres de Abreu and his allies, was not well received internally at the club and sparked reactions.

One of the strongest reactions came from businessman Diego Fernandes, who gained notoriety among fans for presenting a fundraising plan for the club should it become a SAF.

On his social media, Fernandes posted the video of the meeting that took place at a dinner on Tuesday (4), in which Olten appears giving his approval and support, alongside members of his political group, to the name of the former CBF president. He also made sure to share his opinion on the matter.

“São Paulo fans, look at this video. It is the perfect image of why São Paulo remains stuck in the past. Years go by. Presidents come and go. Board members come and go. But the political model remains exactly the same. The same groups. The same maneuvering. The same power struggles. And, unfortunately, the same results,” he wrote.

“A political model that, for years, has concentrated power, resisted change, and continues to lead São Paulo down the same paths. The result is there for everyone to see. Debts. Crises. Transfer ban. Internal conflicts. Lack of transparency,” he vented.

A public critic of the current association-based model that runs Tricolor, Fernandes demanded modernization in the club’s management.

“While the biggest clubs in the world are discussing governance, professionalization, transparency, market intelligence, and management, São Paulo is still discussing internal politics. The fans can’t take it anymore. São Paulo needs a break from this model. It is not enough to change names. The way the club is run must change. SÃO PAULO’S FUTURE NO LONGER FITS WITH THE POLITICS OF THE PAST,” he added.

Playboy On Fire

But Caboclo’s pre-candidacy was not the only target of Fernandes on social media. The businessman once again traded barbs with Caio Forjaz, one of the leaders of the Salve o Tricolor Raiz group, which has opposed São Paulo’s management since the days of Julio Casares in power.

Forjaz had also used his social media earlier to publish a manifesto against Caboclo’s name. He ended up being attacked by the businessman in the comments (see the screenshot below). The argument even escalated to a mobile messaging app, where the São Paulo board member called Fernandes a liar.

Fernandes and Forjaz had already traded barbs in June, when the opposition leader’s group was harshly criticized for closing ranks and voting in favor of keeping Olten Ayres as chairman of the Council.

The Case

São Paulo unofficially has its first candidate for the end-of-year election that will decide Harry Massis’s successor as president.

As AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR revealed, a dinner held on Tuesday night (4) determined that the political group of Olten Ayres de Abreu, president of the Deliberative Council, along with some supporting factions, officially backed Rogério Caboclo, former president of the CBF.

In an official statement, Olten confirmed he had attended a dinner at Caboclo’s residence and reaffirmed his support for the executive’s pre-candidacy to lead Morumbi.

According to Olten, the decision is the result of an ongoing process of dialogue among members of the Deliberative Council. The executive dismissed claims that the meeting served to seal full slates, definitive alliances, or the division of corporate positions, calling such versions social media speculation.

Institutional Clarifications and Defense of Debate

The official statement detailed that the participation of Cléo Prado, the club’s women’s football director, took place exclusively under her prerogative as a council member, without representing an endorsement from São Paulo’s executive board.

Olten Ayres also condemned personal attacks directed at those who attended the dinner and defended the legitimacy of internal political negotiations.

‘Salve o Tricolor’ Group Disagrees and Points to Another Name

Parallel to Olten’s move, the leadership of the political group Salve o Tricolor Paulista, made up of figures from the so-called “root opposition” to the Massis administration, issued a statement distancing itself from Rogério Caboclo’s possible candidacy:

Disavowal of videos: The group stated that content linking the opposition wing to Caboclo does not have the backing of its coordinators.

Own candidacy: The wing reiterated its intention to launch lifelong council member Marcelinho Portugal Gouvêa as the ideal name to run for Tricolor’s presidency in the 2026 election.

Understand

As AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR revealed in May, the coalition formed by the main political groups opposing Harry Massis at São Paulo met at the time and reached some conclusions.

After considering themselves betrayed by Vinícius Pinotti for his move to announce Rogério Caboclo’s name as a pre-candidate for the end-of-year election the previous weekend—which did not go over well either internally or externally—the group decided to remove the former football director from the decision-making process.

Pinotti himself, a former presidential hopeful, will now be limited to opinions and campaign funding. The former executive is said to have acknowledged that he made a mistake, since Caboclo himself, the former CBF president, was reportedly not interested in running in the December election, according to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR.

A committee with representatives from all opposition slates was created. This group will be responsible, so to speak, for communicating the decisions taken. And the first task has already been carried out: announcing the new contender in the presidential race.

Marcelinho Portugal Gouvêa is the son of the historic president who served from 2002 to 2006 and led the club during its Libertadores and Club World Cup three-peat.

A name viewed positively by the fans and with some influence among groups of independent council members, especially the cardeais, he has orbited the opposition since 2013, when he broke with Juvenal Juvêncio, a former ally of his father. He usually appears in interviews about the club’s political and financial situation.

The name of Marcelinho, put forward by the so-called “root opposition,” made up of those who have been against the administration since Julio Casares, still depends on approval from some recent allies, including supporters of Olten Ayres de Abreu, the suspended president of the Deliberative Council.

Previously, businessman Dáurio Speranzini had been seen as the main option to lead the bloc. However, the viability of his name lost momentum amid growing resistance among members and councilors.

Members of the group admit that although Speranzini is considered prepared for the role, the political wear and tear surrounding the revelation of his involvement in Operation Car Wash in 2018, when he was even arrested, made it impossible to build a competitive candidacy. Recurring criticism of the businessman behind the scenes at the club began to directly influence the electoral college. A decision made early last year by the Federal Supreme Court, however, acquitted him for lack of evidence.

Controversies Involving Caboclo

Caboclo’s name was not well received on social media, precisely because of the allegations from his time as CBF president. At the time, audios of an inappropriate conversation with her were released by TV Globo. The executive described his remarks as “inappropriate jokes.” He has always denied the accusations and was acquitted in court in early 2024.

The former CBF president is a lifelong council member, but not very active at São Paulo. Records of his family’s involvement with the club go back to the 1960s and his father, for example, took part in Henri Aidar’s administration at the start of the following decade.

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