SAFiel creators outline project, pledge to present proposal to Corinthians | OneFootball

SAFiel is officially launched. This Tuesday, the creators presented details of the project at an event held at the Football Museum, in the Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu, and promised that they will deliver the proposal to the board of Corinthians in the next few hours.

“Our biggest differentiator is transparency. We have been discussing this project for months, and we believe that transparency is the starting point. SAFiel was created to help Corinthians find its way again without losing its popular soul. We, the creators, only have the purpose of helping; we have no political, economic, or club position interests. In addition to launching the project, we will deliver an official proposal today at Parque São Jorge,” said Carlos Teixeira, one of SAFiel’s founders.

The expectation, according to reporting by Gazeta Esportiva, is that the proposal will be delivered on Tuesday afternoon to Osmar Stabile. The president of Corinthians, who according to SAFiel organizers had confirmed his presence, did not attend the event.

Some three-year and lifetime council members who were present at the launch received the document. Members of organized fan groups, such as Gaviões da Fiel, also attended the event.

(Photo: André da Silva Costa/Gazeta Press)

What is SAFiel?

Created by Carlos Teixeira, Maurício Chamati, Eduardo Salusse, and Lucas Brasil, SAFiel envisions transforming Corinthians into a SAF (Sociedade Anônima do Futebol), with professional management run by the fans. Corinthians supporters could buy shares at affordable prices and vote for council members.

The club would be composed of four Councils: Administrative, Fiscal, Cultural, and Governance. The members of each sector would be chosen by the shareholders. The bodies would have the responsibility to oversee, and there would also be regular external audits to prevent any irregularities.

According to the project, management would be the responsibility of professional executives, who would be “hired or fired based on ability and achievement of goals.” The football department would be separated from the social club.

How would the investment work?

There are three possibilities for shareholders to make a financial contribution: a popular reserve, in which each fan can buy a maximum of ten shares; a broad retail option, aimed at Corinthians fans with greater purchasing power; and a third group intended for professional investors.

To acquire shares, interested parties must prove their membership at Parque São Jorge or enrollment in the Fiel Torcedor program. No shareholder may purchase more than 1.8% of the shares, to prevent concentration of power, in addition to other safeguards. Anyone wishing to invest must also prove the origin of their funds.

The goal is to raise R$ 2.5 billion to pay off debts and invest in football and the Corinthians social headquarters. The creators say they are basing this on studies and believe that the shares tend to appreciate over time.

“The proposal consists of creating a company that would receive all football assets. On the other side, we would have the company Invasão Fiel, which would enter as a partner with money. The social club would receive funds from this structure. Invasão Fiel would represent the fans independently. With the resources, we will pay the debts, make new investments, and move to the forefront,” explained Eduardo Salusse, one of the project’s creators.

Maurício Chamati, Eduardo Salusse, and Carlos Teixeira, three of SAFiel’s creators (Photo: André da Silva Costa/Gazeta Press)

Is it viable?

The topic of SAF, although it still faces internal resistance at Corinthians, has been gaining momentum and is increasingly discussed among fans.

Proof of this is that the draft of the statute reform, presented by the Deliberative Council last Monday at Parque São Jorge, provides for the transformation of the club into a SAF. The document, however, imposes some conditions.

According to Romeu Tuma Júnior, president of the Deliberative Council, the creators of SAFiel even met with him at the club’s social headquarters, but did not formally submit a proposal to the Statute Reform Commission. However, the project leaders claim they encountered barriers to bringing the proposal to the Council, which should vote on the new text as early as next month.

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