Leonardo Pantaleão comments on the expulsion of Augusto Melo and upcoming processes in the Deliberative Council

- By Mirella Ramos / Central do Timão Editorial

Last Monday night (1), the Corinthians Deliberative Council approved the dismissal of Augusto Melo from the club's membership. After the session, the president of the Deliberative Council, Leonardo Pantaleão, gave an interview and detailed the progress of the trial, the appeals presented by the former president's defense and the next steps in the ongoing processes.

Initially, Pantaleão explained how the analysis of the resources presented by Augusto Melo's defense took place and detailed the procedure that culminated in the approval of the Ethics Committee's opinion.

Photo: Reprodção / Central do Timão
"Augusto's defense presented some objections at appeal level regarding some irregularities that they understood to have occurred during the course of the procedure. These are more technical issues, even involving articles of the statute and so on. This was counter-argued by the representative of the Ethics Commission, who was the counselor Rodrigo Bittar, who made this argument, and then placed in plenary.

And then the arguments of the appeal were not accepted and, as a second step, then, as the appeal was rejected, the judgment of the Ethics Committee's opinion began, which indicated the dismissal of the associative staff. And this opinion also, after half an hour given to both sides, both to the Ethics Committee and to the defense, was decided by a large majority to follow the Ethics opinion and impose the penalty of dismissal from the association's membership for Augusto", he added.

When asked about a possible judicialization of the case after the decision of the Deliberative Council, the director stated that this is the right of the party who feels harmed.

"Every time you have a difference of understanding, the party that feels harmed has the full right to question this in other spheres, including the judicial sphere. So this is something that we have no control over, there is no way to possibly question or even minimize the relevance they give to this. I think it is their right. If they understand that they must take legal action, without a doubt, it is a possibility."

Afterwards, Pantaleão commented on the other processes underway in the Deliberative Council and explained the need to guarantee broad rights of defense to those involved.

"I confess to you, Daniel, what is the following: I would prefer that we eventually postpone this, but give the right to defense to all people, because the right to defense is an indisputable right, than simply judging by default. So today, for example, we had a request made by councilor Maria Ângela for a personal situation. It was decided by the plenary by a majority so that she could hold hers for next week. And the councilor who would subsequently, in the order of the summons notice, objected to his trial being brought forward to hers. So, consequently, there was a suspension.

Now, if you have, as you certainly will, the need to designate new dates, we will designate new dates to be able to carry out all the trials in the way the Statute provides, without any problems. The issue of the existence of the General Assembly is something clear that cannot be changed. None of that. But special attention will have to be paid to it. Not even if the General Assembly later resumes this agenda in order to exhaust these judgments that need to be finalized.

Sad, it's a situation that, I'm sure, no Corinthians fan expected to go through this kind of thing. But these are situations that ended up happening and had to be faced. So, of course, it's far from me to be happy about a situation like this, but it was important to move these matters forward and that's what was done.

Now the deliberation by the plenary of the Deliberative Council is being taken as cases arise and their progress is completed by the Ethics Committee itself. Other cases will also soon come to be discussed, so that we can bring to light the opinion of the Ethics Commission in relation to other names, not just former presidents. We had cases, for example, stopped in Ethics since 2022. So it is absurd. All these cases need to move forward so that we can have an outcome and organize this situation."

The director also commented on a legal action related to the General Assembly scheduled for the next few days and reinforced his understanding on the topic.

"It's another one of those situations where I say: we have no control over this. It is the right of advisors to eventually question and challenge. There is a difference of interpretation and it must be respected. I already made my understanding clear when I wrote the notice convening the Assembly. I understand that both the issue of general aspects and highlights need to be submitted to the Assembly as it is the sovereign body.

But I greatly respect anyone who may think otherwise. And, again, arguing in court, seeking an analysis from an outside third party, as in the case of the Judiciary, is a right. There's no way to stop it. Now let's wait for the Judiciary's decision."

Another topic discussed was the request for impeachment of President Osmar Stábile. Pantaleão explained what stage the process is currently at.

"What I actually heard was an admissibility analysis by the Ethics Committee. So the Ethics Committee analyzed and understood that there are elements that allow the continuation of that request that was made by some counselors and some associates. President Osmar was then informed today of the 10-day deadline, based on the statute, that he has to present his defense. From there, he returns to the Ethics Committee with his defense, so that the Ethics Committee can prepare an opinion and then bring this opinion to the Deliberative Council."

When asked about the situation of former directors who left the club's membership, such as Duílio Monteiro Alves, Pantaleão stated that the issue is still being legally analyzed.

"This is a situation that we are analyzing. In fact, we were talking about this topic a while ago. We will have to analyze to see what to do, especially because it creates a certain amount of room for questioning. Imagine, for example, you apply any penalty that could be, let's imagine, either a dismissal or even a warning, if that were the case. How are you going to eventually warn or terminate someone who is no longer part of the membership? So all of this is being analyzed so that we can find the best legal support to achieve what was intended with the ethical procedure itself."

Finally, the president of the Deliberative Council explained how the participation of counselors who will still be judged in the next sessions will work.

"In fact, voting for yourself may not be the case, as it didn't happen here today either. Now, they will be able to participate in the voting of other councilors who are subject to trial, as also happened here today. So there is no type of impediment to that", he concluded.

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Source: Timao Central