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22/06 - Vila Nova to quit Goiana Championship

The president of Vila Nova, Wilson Balzacchi, said that his club will tell the Goiana Football Federation this week that his club will not dispute the remainder of the championship this year. Balzacchi was disgusted with what happened in the first leg of the final, when his team was beaten 3 x 2 by Goiás. Referee Elmo Rezende sent off three Vila players and gave a highly doubtful penalty to Goiás. "Vila Nova were persecuted throughout the entire competition, and the final blow was this game against Goiás", said Balzacchi. "When the penalty was given, he (the referee) accused the player César, who was far from the action, of pulling the shirt of their striker. The whole of the press criticised that penalty".




22/06 - Teams revealed for Brazilian Championship 2000

It appears as if the Campeonato Brasileiro IS to go ahead after all this year - although without Gama. The on-again-off-again saga has started a new chapter, after the Clube dos 13 released today a list of all teams they would like to take part in the league - although one team will have to go, as the championship can't be larger than 24 teams. The list to date includes all of last years participants (minus Gama, of course) plus Fluminense, Bahia, América-MG and Caxias - a total of 25.

The president of Flamengo, Edmundo Santos Silva, said today: "There is still no totally consolidated proposal. As well as being unacceptable both economically and by tradition to not have Fluminense and Bahia, América-MG is a club that's doing well in the current ranking of Brazilian football, having won the Copa Sul-Minas, and Caxia won the title of Gaúcho champion". The details are unlikely to be formalised until the beginning of July.