Last weekend, Brasileirão matches still followed this format, and with FIFA's announcement, the organization will need to adapt. The Série A and Copa do Brasil, for example, have Betano, the sports betting website that lends its name to the competitions, as their main partner.
The FIFA document highlights paragraphs 1 to 4 of Article 15 of the 2020 "FIFA Regulations on the Organization of Refereeing in Member Associations. "The regulations permit advertising on refereeing-related assets, such as the back of referees' shirts, the booth, and the VAR review area, but impose restrictions:
"All advertising for products related to tobacco, alcoholic beverages, narcotics, or gambling establishments (casinos or betting companies) is strictly prohibited. Any slogans of a political, racist, or religious nature are also prohibited," the regulations state.
According to FIFA, this prohibition also extends to any banners or graphic elements that may appear on television broadcasts during a VAR review.
"Referees play a central role in safeguarding the integrity and impartiality of football and are essential to the game. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, the Video Operation Room (VOR), and the Referee Review Area (RRA) are also crucial support elements for referees, enhancing their ability to make accurate and fair decisions, thus benefiting the game worldwide," FIFA wrote.
Currently, bookmakers are the main sponsors of Brazilian football. Among the 20 Serie A clubs, only Red Bull Bragantino and Mirassol do not have a bookmaker as a master sponsor (on the front center of the jersey), although they do market other areas of the uniform with this sector.
The Brazilian Confederation, for its part, does not own these brands as sponsors of the national team, but sells assets of the championships it organizes, including the names of the competitions. When contacted to comment on FIFA's statement and the reiteration of the ban on advertising bets related to refereeing, the CBF said it will comply with the demands of football's governing body.
Source: GMB
