Flamengo criticizes the Security Amendment for diverting funds from sports betting.

Flamengo released a statement this Monday (September 1st) against an amendment included in Constitutional Amendment Proposal (PEC) 18, known as the Security PEC, which redistributes resources from taxes paid by sports betting companies (BETs) and removes part of the funds previously allocated to the sports sector. The club states that it supports strengthening public security, but argues that sports should not foot the bill.

Flamengo's position, as published by Globo Online, is that the resources from betting companies are already incorporated into the Brazilian sports ecosystem and are essential for the maintenance and development of the sector. It's worth remembering that Flamengo itself has a betting company among its sponsors.

The change that the club is contesting was introduced in the final stage of the PEC's (Proposed Constitutional Amendment) processing in the Chamber of Deputies, before the parliamentary recess in July. According to Flamengo, the distribution of betting revenue to sports exists for an objective reason: the betting market depends directly on competitions, clubs, and games to function. Removing these resources, according to the club, means reducing a source of funding whose origin is linked to the sporting activity itself.

The Senate will still analyze the proposal.

The proposed constitutional amendment will be analyzed by the Senate's Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) and then by the full Senate. The rapporteur for the matter is Senator Rogério Carvalho, from the Workers' Party (PT) of Sergipe, who has already been informed of the concerns of the sports community.

Flamengo expressed its expectation that the Senate process will allow for a solution that preserves funding for sports. In the statement, the club argues that defending public safety and defending sports are not incompatible positions, and that the correct path would be to seek resources for security without reducing those allocated to the sports sector.

Check out Flamengo's statement.

Flamengo is following with concern an amendment included in PEC 18, known as the Security Amendment, during its passage through the Chamber of Deputies. The text modified the distribution of resources from taxes paid by betting companies, removing part of the funds allocated to sports. The change occurred in the final stage of the proposal's passage through the Chamber, before the parliamentary recess in July. Now, with the resumption of discussions, the issue once again demands attention.

Flamengo considers it essential to make its position clear: the club supports strengthening public security and allocating more resources to this area. What it argues is that this should not happen at the expense of sports, since the sports betting market depends on competitions, clubs, and games, and therefore, since the regulation of betting in Brazil, part of the resources generated by this activity has been allocated to sports.

Withdrawing these resources means reducing a funding source already incorporated into the Brazilian sports ecosystem, which contributes to the maintenance and development of sports in the country.

For many years, sports organizations have struggled to expand the sources of funding available to the sector. Today, the challenge has become even more fundamental: preserving resources that have already been allocated to sports and which, in this case, have their own origin directly related to sporting activity.

The proposed constitutional amendment will be analyzed by the Senate's Constitution and Justice Committee and, subsequently, by the full Senate. Flamengo hopes that a solution can be found during this process. The rapporteur for the matter, Senator Rogério Carvalho, from the Workers' Party (PT) of Sergipe, has acknowledged the concerns of the sports community, which hopes he will be receptive to the proposals presented to avoid cuts in sports funding.

Defending public safety and defending sports are not incompatible positions. The path forward should be to seek the necessary resources to finance advancements in security without weakening an activity that also plays a fundamental role in the country's development.

Investing in sports is investing in the formation of citizens. It means expanding opportunities, promoting education, health, discipline and coexistence, strengthening social bonds and offering prospects to children and young people throughout Brazil. Preserving the resources allocated to sports is, therefore, preserving a policy of enormous social reach that also contributes, in its origin, to the construction of a safer society.