Court ruling on Taça das Bolinhas: Flamengo and São Paulo battle | OneFootball

The 1987 Brazilian Championship still sparks debate

Flamengo suffered another setback in the legal battle involving the traditional Taça das Bolinhas. This Wednesday (05), the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice (TJ-RJ) rejected the request filed by the Rubro-Negro club to overturn the decision on possession of the trophy, maintaining the understanding that the award should go to São Paulo.

Despite the decision in favor of the São Paulo club, the Taça das Bolinhas remains in the custody of Caixa Econômica Federal. Now, with the court’s new ruling, São Paulo will be able to officially request delivery of the trophy. Flamengo, however, does not intend to give up.

HOW DID THE TJ-RJ JUSTIFY THE DECISION?

When analyzing Flamengo’s appeal, appellate judge Fábio Uchoa Pinto de Miranda Montenegro, the case rapporteur, stated that the discussion over possession of the Taça das Bolinhas had already been settled in previous courts and therefore could not be reopened by the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice. In the ruling, the judge also reinforced the established understanding that Sport is the sole Brazilian champion of 1987. As a result, São Paulo remains recognized as the first club to meet the criteria established to receive the trophy.

WHAT LED TO FLAMENGO’S NEW APPEAL?

Last week, Flamengo said it had obtained a favorable ruling in the Federal Court of São Paulo. On that occasion, the 12th Federal Civil Court reexamined the case at the request of the Rio club and understood that jurisdiction to decide the fate of the Taça das Bolinhas belonged to the Federal Court of Rio de Janeiro.

As a result, the trophy remained in the custody of Caixa Econômica Federal while the legal definition was still ongoing. At the time, Rubro-Negro said it remained confident in the definitive recognition of its own right to the award. However, with the TJ-RJ’s new ruling, the understanding once again favored São Paulo, which now believes it has legal backing to request delivery of the Taça.

WHY IS THE TAÇA DAS BOLINHAS THE SUBJECT OF A DISPUTE?

Created in 1975 by the then Brazilian Sports Confederation (CBD), the Taça das Bolinhas was to be awarded to the first club to win three consecutive Brazilian titles or five overall titles in non-consecutive years. The impasse arose because Flamengo considers that it met this requirement when it won the 1992 Brazilian Championship. However, that definition depends directly on the official recognition of the 1987 national champion.

In 2011, the CBF recognized Flamengo as champion of that edition. However, in 2018, the Supreme Federal Court (STF) upheld Sport as the sole Brazilian champion of 1987. With that understanding, São Paulo came to be considered the first club to reach five national titles, after winning the 2007 Brasileirão, consolidating its right to the Taça das Bolinhas.

WHAT IS THE AUTHOR’S OPINION?

— São Paulo’s stance in this case surprises me. The club was one of the architects and leaders of the 1987 Brasileirão won by Flamengo; there are videos with statements from São Paulo’s president at the time, Carlos Miguel Aidar, acknowledging that Mengão are the 1987 champions. Therefore, São Paulo should take the trophy and hand it over to Flamengo. It would be a gesture of greatness from the Morumbi club —, opined Pedro Paulo Catonho, journalist at Coluna do Fla.

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