After a meeting with swimmers that are members of the Brazilian federation, Correios has decided to postpone a decision on terminating its 26-year relationship as a sponsor of the Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports (CBDA) until May, GloboEsporte is reporting.
Correios, which is the Brazilian national postal service, has twice reconsidered its sponsorship in the last 12 months while the CBDA has been engulfed in scandal. On the first round, they decided to continue their sponsorship after a reduced level. Last week, however, after the arrest of CBDA president Coarcy Nunes, they said that they were terminating their agreement, which is worth about 180 million reals ($55 million USD) in 2017.
After a slight settling, however, that has included the appointment of Ricardo Prado as the new interim president of the federation while it awaits elections, the president of Correios met with a group of Brazilian athletes to hear their concerns, and Gustavo Licks, a CBDA ‘intervenor’ to hear plans for the future of the organization. The athletes present were among the three most prominent names in Brazilian swimming history: Gustavo Borges, Thiago Pereira, and Cesar Cielo.
Wednesday’s meeting was held in the post office in the federal capital of Brasilia. There, Licks committed to present a “management plan and rigidity/transparency of internal controls” by the end of May. In exchange, Correios has agreed to continue its scheduled payments until the end of May, which ensures that the Maria Lenk Trophy meet will continue. That meet is Brazil’s long course national championship and selection meet for the World Championships.
Statement of Correios (translated from Portuguese):
“In a meeting held this Wednesday with the president of Correios, Guilherme Campos, the controller of the Brazilian Confederation of Water Sports, Gustavo Licks, reported the importance of the Correios sponsorship to maintain the entity and its events, as well as the achievements of the partnership during the more than 25 years of contract.
On that occasion, the controller was asked to present a plan for improvements in the management of the entity by the end of next month, focusing on transparency and greater rigidity in internal controls.
Next week, the issue will also be discussed at a public hearing at the Chamber of Deputies Sports Committee, with the participation of the Brazilian Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Sports, athletes, governing bodies, and federations linked to water sports, among others.
In view of all this, and because of the proximity of the Maria Lenk Trophy – the last national swimming event in which athletes can obtain the indexes for world competitions – the state will await these events before the decision on termination of the contract. This effort by the Correios demonstrates the concern of the company and its responsibility in resolving the matter with the least possible impact on aquatic sports.”
Statement of the CBDA (translated from Portuguese):
“The provisional administrator of the CBDA, Dr. Gustavo Licks, was on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 12, at a meeting at Correios in Brasilia to discuss the company’s contract with the entity, where an argument was presented for the company to support the water sports, because besides the technical achievements, the five disciplines have social function and of inclusion in the Brazilian sport.
Correios will continue with the CBDA until the end of May, when the (CBDA) will present a management plan and transparency of its internal controls, which is already being prepared by the provisional administrator with the collaboration of other sectors gives confederation.
Next week, a press conference will be held at the CBDA headquarters and a public hearing will also be held at the Sports Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, with the participation of the Brazilian Olympic Committee, the Sports Ministry, athletes, control bodies, federations Water sports, among others.
The Confederation’s administration is working to ensure that the organization follows its course, ensuring athletes and the water sports community in general the maintenance of its calendar and the legacy of 25 years of partnership with the Brazilian Postal and Telegraph Company.
Next week the athletes will be on their way to South American Junior Championships, and final preparations for the Maria Lenk Trophy, the last selection meet for the World Water Sports Championship in Budapest, are already underway. “
The meeting was held in a post office . Now there is a revenue idea for US Post . Post Office guarantee of no torture , no water immersion , just plain old fashioned negotiations in a usually serious looking building . Plenty of stamps on hand & who didn’t ever want to get behind that bench & start stamping away?