Ministers criticize executive order that transfers lottery money to FNSP.
The Ministers of Sport, Leandro Cruz, and of Culture, Sérgio Sá Leitão, released statements on Tuesday (12) in which they criticized the provisional measure that transfers part of the resources from sports lotteries to the Ministry of Public Security.
The MP was issued by President Michel Temer this Monday (11), at the ceremony where the law creating the Unified Public Security System (SUSP) was sanctioned.
Provisional measures have the force of law as soon as they are published, but they need to be approved by the National Congress to become definitive laws.
According to the Minister of Public Security, Raul Jungmann, the ministry is estimated to receive an additional R$ 800 million this year from lottery revenue transfers.
The press office of the Presidential Palace informed that it will not comment on the statements released by the ministers. However, according to TV Globo, both were warned by the Minister of the Civil House, Eliseu Padilha, regarding the way they expressed themselves. The Presidential Palace is studying a way to prevent the two ministries from losing resources with the decision to transfer lottery funds to the Ministry of Public Security.
Sport
"It is very clear to all of us that this [public safety] is an area that deserves urgent and priority investment from the government. But never at the expense of sport, which is known to be a strong ally in the fight against violence," says an excerpt from a statement by the Minister of Sport, Leandro Cruz.
“We cannot agree with the decision to withdraw resources such as those allocated to clubs that train Olympic and Paralympic athletes and to entities that promote school and university sports. Modifying the legislation that regulates the distribution of lottery funds does not help solve the problem,” the statement adds.
Based on the revenue obtained by Caixa Econômica Federal through the Federal Lotteries in 2017, the Ministry of Sports projected what the social funding scenario would be like for 2018 and 2019, according to the percentages stipulated by the Provisional Measure.
According to the ministry's calculations, the National Public Security Fund (FNSP) and the National Fund for the Rights of Children and Adolescents will not have their allocated funds reduced, as they were created by the Provisional Measure. Funding for education has been completely cut, and from now on, the FIES (Student Financing Fund) will not receive any funds from lotteries.
Temer's 'mistaken decision'
Also in a statement, the Minister of Culture, Sérgio Sá Leitão, affirms that the Provisional Measure “drastically reduces” the participation of the National Culture Fund in the revenue from federal lotteries. This is because, according to him, the current percentage of 3% could fall to 0,5%.
“This [the publication of the Provisional Measure] is a misguided decision, which does not have the support of the Ministry of Culture. Investment in public security is obviously crucial at this critical moment the country is experiencing. However, the fight against urban violence should not be at the expense of culture, but also through culture, as well as through sports and the promotion of development,” the statement says.
After releasing that statement, Sérgio Sá Leitão released another one, stating that he has no intention of resigning from his position.
Full text of the notes
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Read below the full text of the statement from the Minister of Sport:
press release
The Ministry of Sport is fully aware of the public security crisis that has affected the lives of Brazilians. It is very clear to all of us that this is an area that deserves urgent and priority investment from the government. But never at the expense of sport, which is known to be a strong ally in the fight against violence.
We cannot agree with the decision to withdraw resources such as those allocated to clubs that train Olympic and Paralympic athletes and to entities that promote school and university sports. Modifying the legislation that regulates the distribution of lottery funds does not help solve the problem. It is essential to understand the need for a unified approach to security, each sector with its own strategies. And sport is a powerful tool.
We want to continue contributing, but by jeopardizing funding sources for various sports sectors, the Provisional Measure issued last Monday sidelines sports. It affects not only high-performance sports, but especially sports practice as an educational policy. We stand united with the entire sports community and will do everything to reverse this situation.
We will fight, together with the Government, to modify the Provisional Measure during its passage through the National Congress and ensure the continued funding of the Brazilian sports system. Sport is a fundamental tool for social development and cannot be harmed by legislation that works against all Brazilians.
Leandro Cruz – Minister of Sport
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Read below the full text of the statement from the Minister of Culture:
Note from the Minister of Culture
Published today in the Official Gazette of the Union, Provisional Measure 841, which creates the National Public Security Fund, drastically reduces the participation of the National Culture Fund in the revenue from federal lotteries. The percentage, which was 3%, could fall from 2019 to 1% and 0,5%, depending on the case. This is a misguided decision that does not have the support of the Ministry of Culture.
Investment in public safety is obviously crucial at this critical moment the country is experiencing. However, the fight against urban violence should not be at the expense of culture, but also through culture, as well as through sport and the promotion of development. Beyond its symbolic value and transformative potential, culture is a vector for inclusion and economic growth.
Cultural and creative activities currently represent 2,64% of GDP, generate one million formal jobs, encompass 200 companies and institutions, and grew between 2012 and 2016 at an average annual rate of 9,1%, despite the recession. They are, therefore, among the sectors that contribute most to the country's development. Public investment in this area returns multiplied, in the form of increased tax revenue.
Culture already does a lot and can do even more to overcome the daily barbarity in our cities. It is a powerful weapon against crime and violence, due to its high potential for generating income, employment, identity, and a sense of belonging. Reducing resources for cultural policy is actually an incentive for crime, not the opposite. More culture means less violence and more development.
The Provisional Measure appears even more misguided given that, months ago, the Ministry of Culture presented a proposal for another Provisional Measure that would directly allocate the equivalent of 3% of lottery revenue directly to cultural projects through Caixa Econômica Federal, thus avoiding budget cuts and misuse. This is exactly what happens with the percentage allocated to sports, thanks to the Agnelo-Piva Law of 2001.
In almost a year of work, this administration revitalized the Ministry of Culture and implemented an efficient and effective public cultural policy, a state policy and not just a government policy, with concrete results for the sector and society, despite the scarcity of resources. The Provisional Measure jeopardizes this policy and unfairly penalizes the cultural sector. We hope that the National Congress will modify the Provisional Measure. We will work tirelessly for this. It is an ethical imperative.
Sérgio Sá Leitão – Minister of State for Culture
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(G1 Brasilia (By Filipe Matoso, Roniara Castilhos and Delis Ortiz, G1 and TV Globo, Brasília)
Special Report – Impact of Provisional Measure 841/2018
Sports organizations unite to avoid a loss of R$ 300 million.
New unified public security system becomes target of criticism from the sector.
In an unprecedented move, several entities linked to Brazilian sport, such as sports confederations, clubs and NGOs, are working together against the provisional measure signed by President Michel Temer last Monday (11), which aims to unify the country's security system.
The measure, which will transfer lottery funds to the security sector, directly affects the Ministry of Sports, which relies heavily on lottery revenue for its funding. Initial estimates indicate that at least R$ 300 million will no longer be allocated to Ministry programs, particularly those focused on grassroots sports.
Even high-performance sports will be affected. Either directly, through budget cuts, or indirectly, as a consequence of the end of investments made by the Ministry in school sports and athlete training.
“Just when you think things can’t get any worse in sports, they approve a measure like this. Of course, nobody is against investing in public safety, but they didn’t consult the sports sectors involved. This is a huge mistake,” criticizes sailor Lars Grael, a two-time Olympic medalist and superintendent of institutional relations at the CBC (Brazilian Committee of Clubs).
CBC was precisely one of the entities most affected by the redistribution of lottery funds that will take place if Provisional Measure 841, which creates the National Public Security Fund, is approved by Congress.
The measure signed by Temer this Monday (11) will remove a portion of the funds from the Ministry of Sport that would be destined for the CBC, Fenaclubes, NGOs and even military sport. CBDE (Brazilian Confederation of School Sport) and CBDU (Brazilian Confederation of University Sport) will also be affected.
In a less drastic measure, the decree signed by Temer will also affect the two main sports entities in Brazil, the COB (Brazilian Olympic Committee) and CPB (Brazilian Paralympic Committee), with reductions of at least R$ 10 million annually for each.
All the entities consulted by Folha believe that the effects on the Brazilian sports sector will be very serious.
“We are still doing the calculations, which are complex, but we are talking about a cut of at least R$ 300 million in the budget of the Ministry of Sport,” says Louise Bezerra, executive director of Atletas Pelo Brasil, an NGO that worked on the approval of the modernization of the Pelé Law, with the approval of term limits for presidents of sports confederations.
“Public safety is always a priority, but creating this measure is the same as cutting vaccine funding to invest in hospitals. There will be a tremendous impact on the entire sports industry in Brazil,” says Edson Garcia, executive superintendent of the CBC.
The unprecedented union of various entities, which jointly signed manifestos published on their respective websites and even in newspaper advertisements, is already organizing a task force to try to block the approval of the provisional measure.
This Wednesday (13), representatives from the Brazilian sports sector will be in Brasília, where there will be a public hearing at the Sports Committee, chaired by deputy Alexandre Valle (PR-RJ). The idea is to put strong pressure on the deputies, so that the measure is not approved.
“I think it’s possible to reverse this situation. When the government feels the extent of the unpopularity of this measure, it will recoil and sit down to negotiate. We have to draw as much attention to this as possible, and for that, unity is fundamental,” says Lars Grael.
Unpleasant surprise
The Ministry of Sport, the most affected by the provisional measure for the unified public security system, was caught off guard. “I spoke with the ministry team on Monday and everyone says they knew nothing about it. It caught everyone by surprise,” says Louise Bezerra, from Atletas Pelo Brasil (Athletes for Brazil).
Minister Leandro Cruz himself was not consulted by the government. "I spoke with him, and he said he hadn't been contacted by anyone from the Presidential Palace. Nobody imagined a provisional measure of this magnitude, which is throwing the sport into the dark," says Lars Grael.
Sought for comment by Folha, Leandro Cruz is in Portugal, meeting with sports authorities in that country, and could not be reached by the ministry's press office to comment on the effects the provisional measure will have on the ministry's budget.
Repercussion
The COB (Brazilian Olympic Committee), CPB (Brazilian Paralympic Committee), and the COB Athletes' Commission have also issued statements regarding the provisional measure that will unify the country's public security system.
“It will be a significant loss, something around R$ 10 million or R$ 11 million per year, plus the annual revenue from a Sports Lottery prediction and two predictions in the years of the Pan American Games and Olympic Games. Any decrease in resources implies a review of projects. Therefore, some part of this preparation will be affected. The COB will work with all other sports entities and athletes to ensure that sport is not harmed by this Provisional Measure.” – Paulo Wanderley, president of the COB
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“Federal lottery revenues account for 95% of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee's income. Even before the SUSP Provisional Measure, the amount allocated to the Brazilian Paralympic Committee through federal lotteries was insufficient to cover all costs. Our initial calculations indicate a loss of between R$ 6 million and R$ 10 million annually. Regarding sports in general, we are evaluating and receiving information from various directly affected entities and organizations, but we deeply regret any loss of resources for the sector.” – Brazilian Paralympic Committee
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“All of us in the sports community are saddened, but mainly concerned about the consequences of this provisional measure. Withdrawing resources from sports is not the best way to improve security. The government should invest even more in sports to achieve good results for our youth in the medium and long term. Every process of social evolution or improvement passes through sports.” – Tiago Camilo, president of the Athletes' Commission of the COB (Brazilian Olympic Committee)
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Joint manifesto
Late in the afternoon of this Tuesday (12), sports organizations released a manifesto against the provisional measure approved by the Temer government.
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"Taking resources away from sports is taking money away from education, health, and public safety."
The Brazilian sports sector, represented by athletes, sports entities, and civil society organizations, publicly expresses its support for Brazilian sports. Sports are understood not only as those practiced by professional athletes who inspire and thrill us on courts, stadiums, swimming pools, mats, etc., but also as those that contribute to human development and values such as discipline, teamwork, determination, concentration, and resilience; those that shape citizens, that are a factor in human and social development, and guaranteed as a social right in the Federal Constitution (article 217).
Published this Monday by the Presidency of the Republic, the Provisional Measure that creates the National Security Fund removes resources from sports, redirecting them to public security. This measure, coupled with the progressive reduction of the Ministry of Sports' budget and the annual budget cuts, jeopardizes the viability of the sports sector in the country, with serious impacts on education, health, public security, social development, and the generation of opportunities for millions of underprivileged children and young people in the country.
We understand that security is an area of paramount importance that is going through an unprecedented crisis. But we emphasize that reducing crime and violence depends on improving education, reducing inequality, generating employment, and many other policies to which sport can only contribute.
In addition to various research studies, reports from civil society organizations working with sports, the recent UN development report, and studies by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate sufficient empirical and scientific evidence to affirm that regular participation in physical activity and sports generates a wide range of social, mental, and health benefits. These include weight loss and reduction of obesity, decreased use of legal and illegal drugs, reduced violence in communities, and improved productivity. Beyond the well-being of citizens, sport as an integrated policy reduces healthcare costs, decreases crime, and improves education and productivity.
We disagree with the current government's practice of imposing on which rights we can enjoy. It is the government's duty to guarantee all the rights of its citizens. We understand that security is an area of paramount importance, but society should ask how long palliative measures will continue to be proposed and cuts in social areas will be made without any planning or assessment of their impact.
The Provisional Measure condemns sports in the country by withdrawing funding from state and municipal sports secretariats for the promotion of educational sports, by ending resources allocated to the Brazilian Confederation of Clubs, responsible for fostering grassroots sports, by ending resources allocated to entities that promote school and university sports, by reducing funding for Olympic and Paralympic committees, and especially by cutting more than 300 million reais that would have gone to the Ministry of Sports, responsible for national sports policy which includes social programs such as Segundo Tempo, PELC, and Vida Saudável. This represents the dismantling of the agency, which will not be able to maintain its activities.
Sport is demonstrably an unparalleled factor in human and social development and can do a lot for Brazil; it's time for the government to invest in what will transform lives and communities.
Therefore, we appeal to the members of the Brazilian Congress not to approve the aforementioned Provisional Measure, which will profoundly harm Brazilian sport and, consequently, future generations of citizens.
We want the democratization of sport, through its accessibility to the entire population.
We want quality sports in schools, as an educational tool.
We want to improve the National Sports System with greater efficiency and transparency.
Above all, we want a government that values what sport can do for Brazil.
They sign:
Brazilian Association of Municipal Secretaries of Sports and Leisure – ABSMEL
Brazilian Association of Sports Management – ABRAGESP
Athletes across Brazil
Handball Referees Committee
Basketball Athletes' Commission
Boxing Athletes' Commission
Athletes' Commission of the Brazilian Canoeing Confederation
Athletes' Commission of the Brazilian Snow Sports Confederation
Athletes' Commission of the Brazilian Fencing Confederation
Shooting Sports Athletes Commission
Beach Volleyball Athletes Commission
Volleyball Athletes' Commission
Athletes' Commission of the Brazilian Olympic Committee
Athletes' Commission of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee
Ice Sports Athletes Commission
Hockey Athletes' Commission
Modern Pentathlon Athletes' Commission
Triathlon Athletes' Commission
Wrestling Athletes Commission
National Athletes Commission (Ministry of Sport)
Brazilian Club Committee
Brazilian Olympic Committee
Brazilian Paralympic Committee
Pierre de Coubertin Brazilian Committee
Brazilian Athletics Confederation
Brazilian Badminton Confederation
Brazilian Basketball Confederation
Brazilian Baseball and Softball Confederation
Brazilian Boxing Confederation
Brazilian Canoeing Confederation
Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports
Brazilian Confederation of School Sports
Brazilian Snow Sports Confederation
Brazilian Ice Sports Confederation
Brazilian Confederation of University Sports
Brazilian Fencing Confederation
Brazilian Golf Confederation
Brazilian Handball Confederation
Brazilian Confederation of Field and Indoor Hockey
Brazilian Judo Confederation
Brazilian Karate Confederation
Brazilian Weightlifting Confederation
Brazilian Modern Pentathlon Confederation
Brazilian Rowing Confederation
Brazilian Rugby Confederation
Brazilian Surfing Confederation
Brazilian Tennis Confederation
Brazilian Table Tennis Confederation
Brazilian Archery Confederation
Brazilian Shooting Sports Confederation
Brazilian Triathlon Confederation
Brazilian Volleyball Confederation
Brazilian Sailing Confederation
Brazilian Wrestling Confederation
National Confederation of Clubs – FENACLUBES
Federal Council of Physical Education – CONFEF
Brazilian Institute of Sports Law – IBDD
National Organization of Sports Entities – ONED
Sports Network for Social Change – REMS
Union of Clubs of the State of São Paulo – SINDICLUBES I am from Sport”
( Folha de São Paulo – Marcelo Laguna)
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Minister criticizes President Temer's decision to cut funding for Culture.
Sérgio Sá Leitão spoke out against the provisional measure that transfers resources to Security.
RIO — The Minister of Culture, Sérgio Sá Leitão, criticized on Tuesday Provisional Measure 841, published in the Official Gazette of the Union, establishing the National Public Security Fund (FNSP). In a text published on his personal social media profile, the minister states that the decision causes resources from Culture, originating from the Federal Lottery, to be transferred to the area of Security, in this case, for the creation of the Fund. Read more in O Globo.
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Temer's executive order is the end of the Ministry of Sports, organizations predict.
Transfer of funds from federal lotteries in the sector to public security angers athletes and organizations, who were already suffering from loss of resources after mega-events.
President Michel Temer's decision to issue Provisional Measure 841 last Monday, aimed at transferring part of the resources from sports lotteries to public security, has come as a bombshell and is worrying various sectors of sports, both high-performance and school-based, which were already suffering from cuts after the glorious years of mega-events in the country. Some entities project that the act marks the end of the Ministry of Sports. Read more at Lance.
