Brazil football federation president re-elected after Ronaldo pull-out
FILE: Brazilian football idol Ronaldo waves to the crowd during a friendly match with legends of Brazil's Flamengo and Italy's Inter Milan as farewell of former brazilian player Adriano at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on December 15, 2024. Ronaldo announced he is withdrawing his bid for the presidency of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) due to a lack of support from state federations. (Photo by Daniel RAMALHO / AFP)
The Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) unanimously returned Ednaldo Rodrigues
to the role of president on Monday, confirming his re-election as the sole
candidate after star ex-striker Ronaldo had already pulled out of the race.
Rodrigues was re-elected until 2030, thanks to the support of the
27 regional federations representing the country's different states and the 40
clubs in the top two divisions.
In a statement, the 71-year-old celebrated "the triumph of
democracy".
"In recent years, we have suffered all kinds of prejudice and
persecution," said Rodrigues, who also claimed he was the victim of a
"putsch" at the end of 2023 when he was temporarily removed from his
role by court order.
Rodrigues was elected CBF president in 2022, replacing Rogerio
Caboclo, who had been accused of moral and sexual harassment.
But he returned to office in early 2024 on the orders of a
Brazilian Supreme Court judge after FIFA and the South American Confederation
(CONMEBOL) threatened Brazil with sporting sanctions for government
interference in CBF affairs.
His re-election on Monday was a formality, after 2002 World Cup
winner Ronaldo announced on March 12 that he was giving up running for
president of the country's football governing body due to a lack of support
from regional federations.
"If the majority of those who have the power to decide feel
that football is in good hands, it doesn't matter what I think," Ronaldo
said at the time.
The 48-year-old had indicated in December he wanted to take the
reins of the CBF to address a "deep crisis" the sport is facing
nationally.
Rodrigues, in his role as head of football in Brazil, has been
criticised for turning to interim coaches for the national team after Tite's
departure following Brazil's quarter-final exit at the 2022 World Cup while
waiting for Carlo Ancelotti to arrive.
That never materialised as Ancelotti decided to stay with Real
Madrid, with Dorival Junior eventually being appointed at the start of last
year.
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