Unpaid Novorizontino fee for Cotia gem could bring São Paulo CBF ban | OneFootball

The National Agency for Football Regulation and Sustainability, the Brazilian Football Confederation’s (CBF) body responsible for enforcing Financial Fair Play, has ruled that São Paulo will have 45 days to fully settle a debt related to the signing of defensive midfielder Djhordney, agreed with Grêmio Novorizontino this season.

This is the first severe punishment imposed on a Série A club under the entity’s new financial responsibility guidelines.

If the financial issue is not resolved or settled within the established deadline, Tricolor will face a transfer ban. The sanction will prevent the club from registering new professional contracts, players for the youth divisions, and taking part in subsequent transfer windows.

Origin of the Complaint and Proceedings at the CBF

The dispute began in early July, after Grêmio Novorizontino formally filed a complaint with the CBF over the contract default:

Transaction details: The deal to buy the player totaled R$ 1 million. At the time the inland club turned to the regulatory body, there was an outstanding balance of R$ 600,000.

Previous notices: Before taking the case to the CBF, Novorizontino had already sent three legal notices to the Morumbi club.

Rejected justification: Questioned by the regulatory agency, São Paulo acknowledged the debt but claimed temporary financial difficulties. The argument was rejected for not falling under the exceptions provided for in the Fair Play regulations.

After the technical opinion, the judging panel set payment of the full debt, adjusted to R$ 1 million, plus a R$ 100,000 fine and default interest of 1% per month on the overdue installments.

São Paulo’s Official Position

In an official statement sent to the press, São Paulo’s board said that president Harry Massis had already aligned the terms of an installment agreement directly with Novorizontino’s president before the body’s ruling:

“Before the agency’s decision was published, São Paulo Futebol Clube, through president Harry Massis, contacted Genilson Rocha, president of Grêmio Novorizontino, and arranged a payment agreement. The parties are awaiting coordination between the clubs’ legal departments for the formalization of the commitment,” the club’s official statement said.

If the formalization of the agreement is approved by the legal departments and ratified by the agency within the stipulated deadline, the transfer ban will automatically be canceled.

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