Case Study – Brazil Football Match Investigation

Kroll was engaged by a leading Brazilian football club to investigate potential irregularities by match officials during a cup final.

The client believed that the referee received information from an external, unauthorized party, which led him to reverse his initial decision to award a penalty kick.

Kroll reviewed video footage from the official broadcast, security cameras inside the stadium and images received by the club from spectators. Kroll’s review involved all interactions between the match officials with players, coaching staff and other individuals on the field and included an expert opinion of a forensic speech reader.

Kroll also analyzed the content of the referee’s and the other match officials’ depositions.

Kroll’s findings highlighted a number of possible irregularities, including the presence of unauthorized personnel on the field and the use of mobile phones. Kroll’s evidence helped the client in its Brazilian Sports Court proceeding.