Miners Unite to Support Local Football!

A recent note brought a super important correction regarding the financial assistance to football clubs in Minas Gerais. The money does not come from the government, but from state-owned companies! Let’s get into the details!

Help Arriving!

The first state to speak out after the MP on bets, signed by President Lula (PT), was Minas Gerais. The financial aid, which will come from the state-owned companies Cemig and Codemig, will directly affect contracts with three of the state’s biggest football clubs: América-MG, Atlético-MG and Cruzeiro.

Announced Amounts

Below are the values that were announced:

• Atlético-MG: R$ 15 million
• Cruzeiro: R$ 15 million
• América-MG: R$ 2 million

These contracts are expected to be signed soon! Besides these giants, two clubs from the interior will also be included in the negotiations, which is great news!

Clubs’ Reaction

Clubs sponsored by betting sites were worried, because with the termination of contracts with their partners, they could end up accumulating even more debt. The aid measure was announced at an event by the Banco de Desenvolvimento de Minas Gerais (BDMG), which took place in the Lourdes neighborhood in Belo Horizonte.

Governor Mateus Simões made his stance clear: "Minas football is much bigger than bets. The part the state can do right now is, I’m going to say, support for these big crowds of ours that are being immediately harmed."

Interior Clubs Also in the Mix!

It’s not just the big clubs that will receive this help. The Athletic, from São João del Rei, who plays in Série B, and Uberlândia, from Série C, are also expected to secure assistance, still in smaller amounts that will be discussed with the government. Mateus highlighted that five teams will be benefited and that:

"We are announcing R$ 32 million for the teams from the capital. We will open negotiations with the two clubs from the interior."

A Call to the Community

Mateus Simões didn’t stop there and made an appeal: "I want to take the opportunity to call on the other mining companies to join this support effort for our football." He also emphasized that the value made available represents about one-third of what the bets used to invest.

The governor concluded his speech with an important reminder: "It’s time for us to take back our football and make sure it is sponsored in a genuine way, representing what it really means to be from Minas."

Stay tuned for the next developments and root for this change to bring good results to our football! 🏟️⚽