Corinthians set dates for new statute vote after sixth hearing | OneFootball

In the late afternoon of this Friday (23), the Corinthians Deliberative Council held the sixth public hearing in the cycle of debates on the Club’s Bylaws Reform, focusing on the composition, functioning, and deliberation processes of the Deliberative Council itself.

Held in the amphitheater at Parque São Jorge, the meeting once again took place without the presence of officially sworn-in members of the Corinthians Executive Board. Without broadcast by Corinthians TV, the gathering brought together about 30 people, featured only eight speakers, and lasted just over an hour and a half.

Photo: Henrique Vigliotti/Central do Timão

Key Points Debated

The Voz Corinthiana Collective opened the session by stating that they do not consider it necessary to create a separate budget for the Deliberative Council, as provided in the draft bill. According to the collective, since there is only one legal entity – Corinthians – there would be no justification for a separate cash flow, further advocating for the establishment of rules and autonomy so that the Council can conduct broadcasts and manage its own resources.

The collective’s representative also addressed the issue of lifetime councilors at Parque São Jorge, advocating for the end of new appointments to this position. As an argument, he cited examples adopted in public bodies, where there is an age limit of up to 75 years as a way to promote internal renewal.

Triennial councilor and Cori member Felipe Ezabella proposed reducing the number of elected councilors to 150, with the gradual reduction of lifetime councilors to a limit of 50, totaling 200 members in the Deliberative Council. The proposal was accepted and supported by the president of the DC, Romeu Tuma Jr., who even suggested that some of the current lifetime councilors could voluntarily relinquish their titles to make the measure feasible.

Ezabella also addressed the proposal to create the position of Honorary Lifetime Councilor, who would not have voting rights but would retain the title. As an alternative, he suggested simply changing the nomenclature to “Benemérito” (Meritorious), as already provided in the current Bylaws.

When discussing the limit of absences, a topic that recently resulted in the loss of office for ten club councilors, Romeu Tuma Jr. reiterated the explanation that, in the case of lifetime councilors, accumulating ten alternating absences should result in the loss of mandate. As an alternative, he advocated for equal rights and duties between lifetime and triennial councilors, either by limiting the count of absences to each three-year term or by continuously applying the rules from the moment of taking office, regardless of the number of terms served. The proposal was supported by Ezabella.

Ezabella concluded his participation by advocating that the electoral commission could be officially composed of councilors or associates, in contrast to the current model, in which only councilors can be appointed to the committee.

Tuma also commented that, in the process that resulted in the expulsion of the ten councilors, he made a point of ensuring the right of defense for everyone within the Ethics Committee, unlike what the current Bylaws provide, which only allow appeals for lifetime councilors within the body. The president of the DC also advocated for the possibility that the president of the Board could assume management of Corinthians as early as December, with the formal inauguration taking place only in the second half of January.

Vinícius Cascone expressed opposition to the proposal to reduce the number of elected triennial councilors from 200 to 150, believing that the measure could create a power imbalance in relation to the current 98 lifetime councilors. Cascone also argued that the Bylaws should expressly require the Executive Board to guarantee financial autonomy to the Deliberative Council, as well as to provide information and respond to the demands of the Council and its members, in contrast to what, according to him, occurred during Augusto Melo’s administration.

The Família Corinthians Collective also addressed the issue of lifetime councilors, advocating for the abolition of the position and setting a maximum age limit of 70 years. In response, Romeu Tuma Jr. noted that a lifetime councilor removed due to age could normally run for a triennial term.

The president of the DC also added that lifetime councilors should be treated with greater ceremony by the club, proposing a transition to an honorary position, in order to preserve and respect each one’s history and contribution to Corinthians.

Another proposal presented by the collective calls for a limit of one re-election for councilors. If they wish to serve a third term, they would need to wait at least one electoral process before returning to a seat on the Deliberative Council. The idea also received a positive signal from Tuma.

There were also disagreements regarding the voting model – whether by slates, by individual vote, or by individual vote with proportionality – involving Coletivo Família Corinthians member Hicham Said, the president of the DC, triennial councilors Felipe Ezabella and Vinícius Cascone, and Roberto William Miguel, known as “the Lebanese.” The discussion, marked by heated moments, aimed to define which proposals would or would not be submitted to the plenary for consideration, highlighting general comprehension difficulties among some associates.

Tuma explained that, if the Council chooses not to deliberate on a particular article containing more than one proposal, it may refer the decision to the General Assembly of Members, which will have the final decision-making power.

Ciryllo Cavalheiro Neto spoke out against the existence of lifetime councilors and mentioned the actions of former Board presidents. According to him, in the appeal presented by Corinthians to the Public Prosecutor’s Office against judicial intervention, former presidents Andrés Sanchéz and Duilio Monteiro Alves are listed as interested parties in suspending the process.

At the end of the meeting, Tuma stated that there is already a scheduled date for the vote on the Bylaws reform in the Deliberative Council, which should be officially set for March 2. According to him, the schedule allows time for finalizing the text and detailing the proposals, with the General Assembly scheduled for March 28 or 29.

Next Steps

The seventh public hearing will be held next Monday (26), starting at 6 p.m., at Parque São Jorge, and will address the voting system for the Board, the figure of the honorary lifetime councilor, and the rules on absences applicable to lifetime councilors. Those interested in participating must register in advance via email at estatuto@sccorinthians.com.br, with a deadline of up to three hours before the start of each session.

After the 11 scheduled public hearings are held, the Bylaws Reform Commission will consolidate the findings to draft the final version of the text, which will be submitted to a vote by the Deliberative Council and then forwarded to the General Assembly of members.

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