Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
A Brazilian club has gone back on signing the former Flamengo goalkeeper sentenced to over 20 years in prison for ordering his former girlfriend’s murder after fans protested and sponsors dropped the club.
Former Flamengo superstar Bruno Fernandes, 35, was sentenced to 20 years and nine months in prison in 2013 after he ordered the assassination of his former girlfriend and Brazilian model Eliza Samudio, 25, and kidnapped his son Bruninho.
Samudio’s body was never found after she went missing in 2010. Investigators for the case reportedly said her body was never found because it was dismembered and fed to dogs by the authors of the crime however it is unclear if it was ever proven.
The news shook Brazil as Fernandes was playing for Brazilian club giants Flamengo and was the squad’s captain since May 2009. He was also reportedly working towards a cap with Brazil.
Fernandes has since been allowed to enter a semi-open house arrest regime after his sentence in 2013.
This allows him to work as a footballer during the day but he has to check in with the authorities at night. He is not allowed to leave the city without permission.
Fernandes reportedly entered this less restrictive regimen in September 2017 after being released in February 2017 with a petition for habeas corpus because the country’s courts had failed for several years to rule on his appeal.
He was reportedly signing for Brazilian side CE Operario Varzea-Grandense which is based in the municipality of Verdao Cuiaba in the state of Mato Grosso in the Central-West region of Brazil, however, due to social pressure, the club has decided to rescind their offer.
Local media report his presentation was set to take place this week, however, after news of his signing, the club received a lot of criticism which led to them backing out of the deal.
Club supervisor Andre Xela told online magazine ‘Epoca’: “It was a lot of pressure and we lost two sponsors. Without money, a person cannot play football.
“We had to desist and we thank the support of the fans that supported the signing. Forthe benefit of the club and its fans we considered it best to cancel the acquisition.”
The statements came after fans protested the move during a match on Tuesday 21st January in their home stadium during their 1-0 victory over Pocone where banners reportedly saying ‘KeeperBrunoNo’ written on them were seen.
Local media report the club also had serious financial pressure after losing finance company ‘Sicredi’ and electro-domestics company ‘Martinello’ as sponsors who asked the club to remove their logos from their kits.
Urban cleaning company ‘Locar Gestao de Residuos’ also reportedly stopped their sponsorship.
Fernandes is reportedly serving a semi-open house arrest sentence in the municipality Varginha located in the state of Minas Gerais.
The Brazilian prison system allows a prisoner to enter a less restrictive regime from a closed regime, semi-open regime and open regime after he or she serves a determined amount of their sentence.
Fernandes was Brazilian Serie A champion with Flamengo in 2009.
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