Rizk mocks the senator who criticized the VAR protocol and the omission of photos: “Congratulations on discovering that the Earth is spherical.”

Journalist Andre Rizk mocked Senator Carlos Porteño (PL-RJ) during the “Seleção SporTV” program on Friday (6/7). The broadcaster criticized the position of the parliamentarian, who questioned the deletion of VAR images in Adrilsson’s expulsion in the Botafogo 3 x 4 Palmeiras match in 2023, and promised to request an investigation from the Public Prosecution.

This topic was hotly discussed during the testimony of the head of the Brazilian Football Confederation’s arbitration committee, Wilson Luiz Sinemi, at the CPI conference on gaming and sports betting in the Senate, on Thursday.

– I would like to congratulate the senator who discovered that the Earth is spherical. Because the IFAB, which looks after the rules of football, established that from the beginning of VAR, where the VAR booth selects the images they think are best for the referee to make the decision. This is a global VAR rule, it is not a Brazilian rule – said Rizk, who also criticized the CPI:

– I know that the Senate can, for example, consider why five substitutions are made, why the match lasts 45 minutes… We can discuss all this, if the Senate sees that it is within its competence. But what’s new in this, guys? Since the inception of VAR, this has been the protocol. It seems to me that there are more important things happening in Brazil that they should take care of, but they are the ones who know how to take care of their mandates.

Andre Rizk said that even if the angle showing Adrilsson touching the ball was shown first by VAR Rafael Tracy to on-field referee Braulio da Silva Machado, the decision to send off the Botafogo defender would be upheld.

– I even think it could show the angle, but it’s not the best photo, because, for example, it doesn’t show the pulling of the shirt. Rizk said he could show the move, but experts believe it will not change the VAR decision.