Vasco da Gama fans will be able to return to the team’s games at the São Januário Stadium, located in São Cristóvão, in the north of Rio. Last Wednesday (13), the club signed an agreement with the State Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ) to once again host matches with the presence of the public.
The Conduct Adjustment Term (TAC) provides for a series of changes to the stadium, such as structural works and investment in technology. The main one is the installation of a facial biometrics system at the access turnstiles, a first for Rio stadiums.
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According to the club, facial recognition will begin to be implemented in phases later this month. Completion is scheduled for June 2024. After the agreement, Vasco announced that the plan “promises to modernize the experience in São Januário, placing the stadium among the safest in the country”.
Among other measures is the renovation and expansion of the main access gate to the stadium, the installation of high-resolution surveillance cameras capable of identifying all people present in the stadium, in addition to the placement of these same cameras on the outside of São Januário.
Vasco also committed to guaranteeing the MPRJ and other public oversight bodies seats in the stadium’s Monitoring and Security Center and access to all images captured by the cameras.
Banned since June, Vasco’s last match in São Januário took place more than 80 days ago. In the defeat to Goiás in the 11th round of the Brasileirão, there was a confrontation with the police after a disturbance among fans.
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Last Thursday (14), Rio’s Court of Justice (TJRJ) suspended the decisions that prevented the public from attending the stadium. Judge Maldonado de Carvalho cited the TAC’s signature in his decision. The measure is valid until the final judgment of the appeal by the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), if Vasco’s interest in forwarding it to the Superior Court remains.
In the action, Vasco claimed that, if the suspensive effect was not immediately granted, economic, financial and social losses would occur, affecting not only the club, but fans, residents around the stadium, local traders and street vendors.
In a statement, the club reiterated that the ban took place through “questionable means” and cited the mobilization of the communities of Barreira do Vasco, Tuiuti and Arará.
“The residents of Barreira do Vasco, and all those who live in our surroundings, provided an immeasurable service by raising their voice and their demand for respect for the communities and the reopening of their second home, São Januário, to the world. Their voices were made listen and we thank them for their effort and resilience”, says the text.
Source: BdF Rio de Janeiro
Editing: Clívia Mesquita
