Botafogo Council Seeks Answers From Former President Over SAF and Textor

Botafogo board members have formally requested that former president Durcesio Mello be summoned to an upcoming meeting of the club’s deliberative council, according to ge. Mello, the only Brazilian serving on the SAF’s board of directors, is being asked to clarify “corporate, accounting and management matters” tied to his role in the entity and its relationship with majority partner John Textor.

The petition, signed by 42 council members and addressed to council president Alberto de Macedo, emphasized the need for “full transparency” as the club navigates ongoing legal disputes involving Textor and Eagle Football. “We all want to maintain the successful model built with Textor while protecting Botafogo as an institution,” the letter stated.

The meeting is scheduled for next Monday. The SAF has already been notified to send a representative, but Mello told reporters he has not yet been officially summoned. Alongside him, the SAF board also includes Textor, Kevin Weston and Jordan Eliott Fikseunbaum.

In their message, the signatories recalled Botafogo’s 2022 transition into a Sociedade Anônima do Futebol, a move they described as the only lifeline for a club burdened by more than R$ 1 billion in debt. They argued that past crises were caused not only by poor management but also by oversight failures, stressing that the current council “cannot and must not” repeat those mistakes.

On the field, Botafogo’s attention now shifts to Sunday’s derby against Fluminense in the 25th round of the Brazilian league. The team, coming off a draw with Grêmio, sits fifth in the table with 45 points, still firmly in the race for top spots.