Brasília, November 29, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The sports clubs associated with professional soccer will have to constitute themselves as profit-making entities and are obliged to present balance sheets, like any other firm. From now on, non-observance of these rules constitutes a violation of the Civil Code and is liable to the legal penalties in force, without detriment to the laws that govern the sport. Club executives will have to demonstrate financial and administrative transparency and morality in sports management.

In an interview yesterday (28), the minister of Sports and Tourism, Caio Luiz de Carvalho, explained the Provisional Executive Order (MP) for soccer, which bears the signature of the president of the Republic.

The MP places restrictions on the sale to foreign clubs of players who are legally minors, provides incentives to amateur clubs for the preparation of new professionals, and proposes legal standing for criteria involving the exploitation of athletes' images, a question that the National Sports Council should discuss with the clubs, for adaptation in the bill that will be sent to the National Congress on ththis matter. (DAS)