ブラジルサッカー界に新たな打撃 連盟会長に解任命令

【リオデジャネイロＡＦＰ＝時事】ブラジル・リオデジャネイロの裁判所は１５日、同国サッカー連盟（ＣＢＦ）のエジナウド・ロドリゲス会長（７１）に関し、雇用契約書の署名が偽造された疑いがあるとして解任を命じた。（写真は、国際サッカー連盟〈ＦＩＦＡ〉の総会で、２０２７年女子Ｗ杯の開催権を獲得して喜ぶブラジルサッカー協会のエドナルド・ロドリゲス会長〈右〉）
　ブラジルサッカー界にとって、今回の決定は新たな打撃となる。このわずか４日前には、スペイン１部リーグのレアル・マドリードを率いるカルロ・アンチェロッティ監督がブラジル代表指揮官に就任すると発表され、久しぶりの喜ばしいニュースに沸いていたばかりだった。
　リオの裁判所はロドリゲス氏の２０２５年の契約書について、署名者の一人が署名するには精神的に不適格であったため、「偽造の可能性」があると指摘。その結果、ロドリゲス氏とＣＢＦとの雇用契約は「無効」との判決が下されたことが、ＡＦＰの取材で確認された。
　裁判官はまた、新たな会長選を実施するようＣＢＦに命じた。
　ＣＢＦでは初の黒人会長であるロドリゲス氏は判決に先立ち、この日パラグアイ・アスンシオンで行われた国際サッカー連盟（ＦＩＦＡ）の総会で、文書が有効であることに「絶対の確信がある」と述べた。
　ロドリゲス氏は２２年の選挙に不正があったとして翌２３年に一時的に停職となったものの、ＦＩＦＡがブラジルサッカー界への制裁を警告し、最高裁判所判事の命令で復職した。
　また、ＦＩＦＡと南米サッカー連盟（ＣＯＮＭＥＢＯＬ）は、２３年に命じられたロドリゲス氏の解任を受け入れず、ＣＢＦに対して外部からの干渉を許せば国際大会から排除される可能性があると警告していた。
　今年３月には、元ブラジル代表のスター選手であるロナウド氏が会長選への出馬を断念し、ロドリゲス氏が唯一の候補者として全会一致で２０３０年までの任期で再選された。
　しかしながらその数週間後には、ＣＢＦの運営に関する調査記事がブラジルの雑誌ピアウイに掲載され、ロドリゲス氏は再び窮地に立たされた。記事では、ロドリゲス氏が地方連盟の責任者らに大幅な給与増を提示することで、選挙での支持を買収したと報じられていた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2025/05/16-18:23）

A court in Rio de Janeiro ordered the dismissal Thursday of Brazilian football federation head Ednaldo Rodrigues over suspicions that a signature in his employment contract was forged.
The decision marks a new blow to Brazilian football, which celebrated some rare good news just four days ago with the announcement that Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will take the reins of the national team later this month.
The Rio court said one of the signatories of Rodrigues's 2025 contract had been mentally unfit to sign, meaning there had been possible forgery.
As a result, the judge ruled in a judgment consulted by AFP, the employment agreement between Rodrigues and the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), was null and void.
The judge also ordered that the federation hold new leadership elections.
The CBF's interim president Fernando Jose Sarney said in a statement that the federation would abide by the ruling and call elections as soon as possible.
But Brazilian media reported that the body had also appealed the judge's ruling to the Supreme Court.
Neither the court nor the CBF were immediately available to confirm the reports.
Rodrigues, the first Black president of the CBF, told journalists at a FIFA meeting in Asuncion Thursday, ahead of the ruling, that he had absolute certainty the document was valid.
The 71-year-old had already been temporarily suspended in 2023 after a court found irregularities with his 2022 election, but was reinstated on orders of a Supreme Court judge after FIFA threatened sanctions against Brazilian football.
FIFA and the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) had refused to accept Rodrigues's 2023 ouster, warning the CBF it could be barred from international competitions if it allowed external interference in its affairs.
Rodrigues had been leading negotiations to sign Real Madrid boss Ancelotti as coach, a bid that fell apart at the time.
Ancelotti, whom Rodrigues has hailed as the greatest coach in history, was finally appointed to the job of Selecao coach on Monday.
In March, Rodrigues was unanimously reelected to his post until 2030, as the sole remaining candidate after former star forward Ronaldo pulled out of the running.
- Allegations of buying support -
Weeks later, however, Rodrigues found himself again in hot water following an investigation by Brazilian magazine Piaui into the workings of the CBF.
The article claimed Rodrigues bought the support of leaders of regional football federations towards his election by giving them a big salary boost.
The CBF had been hoping that landing Ancelotti, the most successful coach in European Cup history, would help turn the page on a bruising period for Brazil, still reeling from its historic 4-1 thrashing by Argentina in March.
The team's last coach, Dorival Junior, was sacked over that performance.
The record five-time World Cup winners are languishing in fourth place in the South American qualifying table for next year's tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.