The Rio de Janeiro courts have ordered the concessionaire Fla-Flu Serviços S. A. to make the Maracanã available for the match between Vasco da Gama and Boca Juniors, scheduled for the 20th of this month for the Copa Sudamericana semifinal. The decision was issued by appellate judge Marco Antônio Ibrahim, of the 23rd Chamber of Private Law.
The judge fully considered the issues reported by the Group Specialized in Sports and Fan Defense, reproducing the recommendation sent to the concessionaire and the letter sent by the attorney general, Antonio José Campos Moreira, to the state governor.
In the decision, the judge emphasized that the safety of fans and residents around the stadium must prevail over the arguments related to pitch preservation, which the concessionaire used to deny the use of the Maracanã.
In grounding the decision, the judge also considered the technical opinion of the Specialized Stadium Policing Battalion (Bepe) of the Military Police, which identified the Maracanã as the preferred alternative for the match, due to its structural, logistical, and operational conditions.
The judge also recognized the urgency of the measure, considering the October 10 deadline set for Vasco to indicate to Conmebol the stadium where the match would be held.