July 22 – Brazilian giant Flamengo no longer wants to release players for the national team during international windows when those fixtures clash with the domestic calendar and the Rio de Janeiro club is going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to make its case.
Brazil’s sport court (STJD) turned down Flamengo’s request to halt the Brazilian top flight during the Copa America earlier this summer. The Brazilian champions felt they were at a disadvantage when Gabriel Barbosa, Everton Ribeiro, Isla, Giorgian De Arrascaeta and Piris da Motta were called up to represent their nations at the continental finals. Eleven rounds of play in the Serie A were completed during the Copa America.
Flamengo is appealing the STJD’s decision at CAS, hoping that in the future CBF competitions will be suspended on FIFA dates in order to guarantee fair competition at club level.
It is not the first time that Flamengo and the CBF have clashed. The Rio club refused to release Pedro for the Olympic Games, which are not part of the FIFA calendar.
Brazil’s Serie A will see another nine match days completed during the Tokyo Games. In September, the domestic calendar will again clash with national team fixtures when Brazil resume World Cup qualifying on the road to Qatar.
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