Ednaldo Rodrigues, the president of the Brazilian football federation (CBF), has been removed from his position after a court ruling in Rio de Janeiro.
Judge Gabriel de Oliveira Zefiro issued an order on Thursday night that effectively suspended Rodrigues and the rest of the CBF board. One of Rodrigues’ vice-presidents, Fernando Sarney, was named interim president. He has been asked to organise new elections at the federation.
Rodrigues has been the subject of two petitions to Brazil’s Supreme Court in recent days. They relate to the alleged falsification of documents ahead of Rodrigues’ re-election in March.
One of the petitions, from congresswoman Daniela Carneiro, called on the Supreme Court to suspend and investigate Rodrigues. It was claimed that the signature of CBF vice-president Antonio Carlos Nunes de Lima was falsified on a document that strengthened Rodrigues’ hold on the federation’s presidency.
Rodrigues, 71, has been CBF president since 2022 and was re-elected without opposition in March.
Carneiro’s letter claims a medical report from 2023 stated vice-president Nunes de Lima was lacking in “physical and cognitive” capacity. She alleges he therefore either signed the key document “without his full capacity for understanding”, or that his signature was forged without his consent.
The CBF has rejected the suggestion that the signature is inauthentic and insisted in a statement on May 6 that “acts related to the aforementioned agreement were carried out within the law” and that “the process was legitimate”.
The CBF has not issued an official comment since Rodrigues was removed from power. The federation has been contacted by The Athletic for comment.
On Thursday night, per reports in the Brazilian media, Rodrigues asked the Supreme Court to annul Zefiro’s order. The Supreme Court is due to make a ruling on Rodrigues’ re-election on May 28.
Rodrigues spoke to reporters at the FIFA Congress in Asuncion, Paraguay, around 20 minutes before Zefiro’s order was made public. He affirmed that Nunes’ signature was legitimate and said he was calm in the face of the allegations.
“Those who act in the right way have nothing to fear,” he said.
Rodrigues has been the subject of two petitions in recent days relating to the alleged falsification of documents.
Additional reporting: Mario Cortegana
(Buda Mendes/Getty Images)