Brazil’s CBF Appoints Eduardo Gussem as Integrity Officer

Brazil’s soccer federation, CBF, announced the appointment of Eduardo Gussem as the body’s new integrity officer. Gussem was appointed by the organization’s president, Ednaldo Rodrigues on Friday, November 24.

Gussem is an experienced individual who has previously served as Attorney General of Justice and President of the Public Ministry Association of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

In his new position, Gussem will be responsible for optimizing internal resources and leveraging his experience to crack down on violations within the soccer sector. He will coordinate a multidisciplinary team and will be tasked with reinforcing the sport’s integrity, while still promoting inclusivity and diversity.

As a member of the Integrity Unit, Gussem will work beside major integrity bodies, such as the International Center for Sports Security, the Global Alliance for Sports Integrity and a private investigation task force.

Gussem Wants to Shield Soccer from Match-Fixing

Gussem’s appointment is in line with Rodrigues’ goal to protect the soccer scene from manipulation and crack down on fraud. Rodrigues commented on the importance of preventing match manipulation, underscoring the dangers of match-fixing in the global sports sector.

According to Rodrigues, the war on fraud is difficult and requires cooperation between international regulators, authorities, sports organizations, event organizers and sportsbooks. He concluded that the Integrity Unit’s job is to address the integrity-related issues.

The appointment ceremony took place at the CBF presidency office where Antonio Carlos Lemos Basto was also appointed as a member of the CBF Integrity Unit.

At the ceremony Gussem commented on his new role at the CBF’s Integrity Unit, saying that he will do his best to bring “rigidity and security” to soccer. He said that his team will work hard on addressing march manipulation and protect the sport from harm.

Gussem added that he is proud to serve Brazilian soccer and noted that he takes this responsibility very seriously. The newly-appointed integrity officer highlighted the importance of Brazil’s accession to the Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions as an important step toward the creation of a national strategy for the protection of soccer.

This will also help Brazil learn from the best international practices and form a regulatory framework that shields soccer’s integrity.