O profissionalismo imoral e a pacificação necessária : imprensa, futebol e política na crise das especializadas no Rio Grande do Sul (1937-1938)

Abstract

During the first years since its introduction in Brazil, football was mostly organized as an amateur and elitist activity. However, its growing popularity amongst all social layers, including the popular classes, led to the progressive inclusion of players from humble backgrounds and the beginning of remuneration practices. Since the major leagues remained nominally amateurs but the clubs started to develop semiprofessional relationships with the players, this situation caused strong contradictions to emerge, which were increasingly noticeable in the beginning of the 1930s. In response to those circumstances, in 1933, in Rio de Janeiro, a movement known as Ligas Especializadas (Specialized Leagues) was founded, aiming to formalize and institutionalize professional football in Brazil. Henceforth there was a schism in the brazilian football scene between those favorable to the amateurism and the Confederação Brasileira de Desportos (Brazilian Sports Confederation) on one side, and those favorable to the professionalism and the Especializadas on the other. In the province of Rio Grande do Sul, however, the Especializadas movement arrived late, only in 1937, causing secession in local football until the end of 1938. In this context, this research intends to analyze the discourse of the daily journal Correio do Povo, the top newspaper in terms of circulation in the province capital at the time, about the Especializadas crisis, during its term in the province. The newspaper exhibits a stance clearly favorable to the amateur side, which is justified by two lines of arguments: the assumption that professional sport was an immoral practice; and the idea that it was necessary to promote pacification, solving the schism caused by the Especializadas supporters. Both arguments are strongly related to the policy adopted by Getulio Vargas government regarding the sports issue, as it is expressed in the Decreto-Lei 3.199, the most important sports law established during the Estado Novo period.