Witness absence sparks row at Corinthians hearing over missing sports kit | OneFootball

The Justice Committee of the Corinthians Deliberative Council held a hearing last Tuesday (3), at Parque São Jorge, to hear from people mentioned in the internal audit report that pointed to possible misappropriation of sports materials at the club. The meeting, however, ended up being marked by an episode of institutional tension involving president Osmar Stabile and the absence of an employee summoned to testify.

Present at the hearing were administrative manager Rafael Salomão and the club's administrative director Fábio Soares. However, the CT employee Francisco Vinícius Godoy, who had also been formally summoned, was not present. According to information gathered by Central do Timão, he was allegedly prevented from attending by order of the club's presidency, which generated a strong internal reaction and discussion during the hearing.

Photo: Reproduction/Corinthians

According to accounts collected by the report, the moment of greatest tension occurred when Osmar Stabile entered the room where the hearing was taking place without prior notice and was questioned by the president of the Deliberative Council, Romeu Tuma Júnior, about the reason for blocking the summoned employee's attendance. The situation escalated into a brief, heated discussion between the two, which was resolved after an apology and Stabile's departure from the location.

Still according to sources heard, the president of Corinthians claimed that the Football Department is under his direct responsibility and that no professional from the sector would testify to club committees without his prior authorization. A source linked to the Justice Committee, however, maintains that all summonses were made in accordance with the Corinthians Statute, through a single official letter and with the knowledge of the parties involved, without distinction between administrative or sports areas.

After the episode, Stabile himself reportedly considered that the employee would be authorized to testify this Wednesday (4). However, the possibility of rescheduling the hearing began to be evaluated with caution by the Justice Committee, considering the concern to protect the employee after the exposure caused by the incident.

The president's attitude generated indignation among members of the Justice Committee. According to councilors interviewed, there is a growing feeling within the Deliberative Council that the presidency has been repeatedly interfering in the activities of statutory committees, including by failing to respond to formal letters sent by internal oversight bodies.

The indignation among those present was such that, according to the report's investigation, there were mentions of the possibility of characterizing obstruction of investigation. The president of the Deliberative Council himself reportedly stated during the clash that he would not tolerate further such actions, classifying them as disrespect to oversight bodies and a reflection of authoritarian practices that have contributed to the institutional crisis experienced by Corinthians in recent years.

This is not the first time that a Corinthians employee or executive has failed to provide clarification after being summoned by internal bodies. In 2025, then football executive Fabinho Soldado was summoned to testify before the Guidance Council (Cori), but ended up not attending after intervention by the presidency. This time, the episode caused even more surprise because it was Osmar Stabile himself who requested the internal audit and later forwarded the report to the Deliberative Council for investigation of responsibilities.

Contacted by Central do Timão, the president of the Deliberative Council stated that he would not comment on the case, alleging that both the hearing and the investigation are under confidentiality. Asked specifically about the disagreement with Osmar Stabile, Tuma said he is reflecting on the incident to assess the adoption of possible measures together with the Justice Committee.

Also contacted by the report, president Osmar Stabile stated, through his press office, that there was no formal impediment, only a request for a new date for the employee's testimony to the Justice Committee, without detailing the reasons.

Context of the investigation

The episode occurred amid a broader investigation into irregularities in the management of Corinthians' sports materials. An internal audit, concluded in November last year, identified a scheme of clandestine sale of official uniforms within the club's own premises, in addition to pointing out serious flaws in the processes of management, control, and distribution of materials supplied by Nike to Timão.

Given the seriousness of the findings, the case also began to be investigated by the Civil Police, after the Public Prosecutor's Office identified evidence of qualified theft and "parallel commercialization" of materials intended for the club. The inquiry is under the responsibility of delegate César Saad, from the Police Department for the Repression of Sports Intolerance Crimes (Drade), who has already heard from auditor Marcelo Munhoes and vice-president Armando Mendonça, mentioned in the report as responsible for the management of sports materials.

Parallel to the police investigation, the internal investigation remains under the responsibility of the Corinthians Justice Committee, which should assess possible administrative and statutory implications in light of the audit report and the testimonies collected.

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