⚠️ Five clubs issue joint statement backing synthetic pitches | OneFootball

Days after Flamengo suggested a set of changes to the CBF, which included the end of synthetic pitches in Brazil, five clubs jointly expressed their support for this type of surface in stadiums.

This Thursday, Athletico-PR, Atlético-MG, Botafogo, Chapecoense, and Palmeiras published a joint statement "in defense of this technology, adopted responsibly, regulated, and aligned with the best international practices."

The five clubs are the representatives of the 2026 Brasileirão Serie A that use synthetic turf in their stadiums.

The statement says that quality synthetic turf is better than natural fields in poor conditions. And that there are no conclusive scientific studies on increased injuries on this type of surface.

The group also criticized that narratives used to question aspects of synthetic turf "distort reality, misinform the public, and disregard the complexity of the subject."

Read the full statement:

In light of recent public statements about the use of synthetic pitches in Brazilian football, Athletico Paranaense, Atlético, Botafogo, Chapecoense, and Palmeiras reaffirm their position in defense of this technology, adopted responsibly, regulated, and aligned with the best international practices.

First of all, it is essential to recognize that there is no standardization of pitches in Brazil. Ignoring this fact and directing criticism exclusively at synthetic pitches reduces a complex debate to a simplified, unfair, and technically incorrect narrative.

We also reiterate that a high-performance synthetic pitch surpasses, in many aspects, the natural fields in poor conditions present in a significant part of the country's stadiums.

It is equally important to clarify that there is no conclusive scientific study proving an increase in injuries caused by modern synthetic pitches.

The issue of pitch quality is legitimate, healthy, and necessary. However, it must be conducted responsibly, with objective data and technical knowledge, and not with narratives that distort reality, misinform the public, and disregard the complexity of the subject.

Athletico Paranaense - Atlético - Botafogo - Chapecoense - Palmeiras

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

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