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From left to right: the newly elected Senator, Major Olímpio, the future President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, and two leaders of Palmeiran. Photo: Notice to Major Olímpio
– Do not mix Palmeiras with politics, his left FDP! Petralha!
That's basically the reader's response to my text: more than three years later, as a blogger from Palmeiras, on ESPN FC, the fan stories section of the site. It was May 1 of last year when I wrote a text entitled "Hey, Felipe Melo, Palmeiras is the team of love and not hate" . It was an answer to two articles in the pamphlet in which he dedicated the day to "real workers", asked "stay with the vagabonds" and ended with "Bolsonaro in them!" It should be remembered that a few days ago, April 28,
In the text, which is no longer broadcast (as the whole blog) since I left the project, During the first half of this year, I argued that Felipe Melo's support for a politician with authoritarian bias was incompatible with the story of Palmeiras, a club that almost disappeared on charges of links with fascism . I've understood everything – in the last update I saw, a few days later, there were nearly 900 comments, about 5% of which supported my text, 5% with sensible reviews and 90% aggression like the one that opened this text. My tweet that calls the text is a good example.
The time has pbaded. Felipe Melo was sacked by Cuca and then reinstated after the coach 's dismissal. Palmeiras won nothing in 2017 and during the match against Sport, a 5 to 1 victory, I had the experience of being in Allianz Park the same day as Jair Bolsonaro. That evening Felipe Melo met the pre-candidate in the locker room and moved a concussion in the stands. He was applauded in some areas, booed for others, as I was, in the North end corner next to the flag on the left.
In 2018, Felipe Melo remained intact in the team, despite coaching changes and countless yellow cards and nonsense, as the expulsion to less than 5 minutes that has thundered the goal against Cerro Porteño in a match. very complicated. In September, after drawing draw against Bahia, shirt 30 has dedicated the goal, in a live interview on Globo still on the lawn, "to our future president Jair Bolsonaro". The club responded with an official two-paragraph note saying that it was "the personal opinion of the player".
Well, that does not seem to be the case. After receiving Bolsonaro in the stadium for the Brazilian title this Sunday against Vitória, agreeing that he goes to the field to give him medals and let him lift the cup among the players, Palmeiras is allowed to use by the elected president. For better or for worse, the club decided not to be a kind of "official team" of Brazilian football. Commentators said last year that Palmeiras wanted to be the "Real Madrid of the Americas", but I think that was not the idea.
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It would be a contradiction on my part, after having published here VICE eight texts on the geopolitics of cuts, defend that football and politics do not mix. On the contrary, politics is present at all times, including in sport (I usually tell my students that even dropping a pum can be a political act).
What disturbs me in the rapprochement between Palmeiras and Bolsonaro, is not that, but the contradiction of linking a club founded by Italian immigrants, and that it strives to put ahead of such roots, as well as an elected president who has already made xenophobic manifestations, including saying that "refugees are fools". Our great-grandparents were what, when they arrived here, from the turn of the 19th to the 20th century, in overcrowded ships, one hand in front and one behind, but refugees from an Italy in crisis and full of people hungry?
In addition, there is a difference in level of flattery between visiting politicians, as CBD / CBF do in the Copa wins or even Corinthians with Lula after winning the 2009 Brazil Cup and bringing the politician in the field. A football pitch is a holy place. An evening for the title, a rare event – during this decade, Palmeiras won five titles, including the famous series B.
And to close this discussion, in a moment of strong political polarization as Brazil lives today Today, Palmeiras knew that linking his image to Bolsonaro would be applauded by many supporters and voters of the former captain, while there would be a big rejection – many fans left Allianz Parque before the cup is postponed for disagreement with the presence of the elected president. It was a risky and conscious gamble of the board of directors in the crowd division.
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On reflection, this is not new in Palmeiras. Since the redevelopment of the stadium, the club has divided its supporters into castes: the different plans of supporters and the ranking, which favors the purchase of tickets, allow the players to be present in the matches to be perceived as "more fans ". or "more pbadionate" than others. For those who do not have one of these plans, it is possible to go to the stadium only in minor matches – and paying at least 100 reais for the ticket .
In addition, Palmeiras is complicit in an attack against the right to come and go. supporters A few hours before each match, a seat is held at both ends of Palestra Italia Street and the Caribbean Street. Only residents of the area and ticket holders can enter with this specific area. The decision of the Attorney General was taken following a complaint filed by a residents' badociation, backed by the military police and then president, Paulo Nobre, who accused an unbelievable gang of Bolivian wallops to support this measure. Mauricio Galiotte, the current president, promised to tackle the problem, but did nothing. He also maintained the infamous ticket price policy.
In the field, Palmeiras was left in Brazil through distribution, acquired the weight of gold with the financial support of Crefisa, which not only sponsors values well above those of the market, because it participates in the political life of the club, because the owner of the company, Leila Pereira, not only elected her counselor, but she openly declared that she could be president. In social networks, fans call her "aunt Leila" and ask for backups such as children who ask Santa for a Christmas present.
In political actions, Palmeiras maintained until this week a typically exempted posture. Zero message against explicit homophobia practiced by fans, with shouts of "fagot!" In shots on goal, especially in the clbadics against Sao Paulo. Zero action for the Day of Black Consciousness, in the club that brings together Djalma Santos and Cesar Sampaio among his greatest idols. Zero demonstration against the police violence that hit the fans after Sunday's match, interrupting the evening with jets of tear gas. Flowers and messages of affection for Women's Day, but nothing in the creation of a women's team, will be mandatory from next year for all the clubs clbadified for the Libertadores, but nobody knows what it will be.
By embracing Bolsonaro, Palmeiras only reinforces his current face: conservative, elitist, ostentatious, individualist, separator. This is not unlike Brazil today – every country has the champion it deserves. There is never a question of changing teams, we, Palmeirans, dream of a democratic club, open to all, free: it is time to take a deep breath, to drown sorrows, to swallow the bitter of Sunday cup and organize his reaction: Palmeiras born of the people, belongs to the people and the people will come back.
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