Edílson Pereira de Carvalho (born August 4, 1962 in Brazil is a former international football referee. As a religious man, before each match, he always followed the same ritual: he rises his two football cards (yellow and red), which are personalized with the inscription Deus é Fiel, which means God is Faithful, and prays in the center of the pitch. Became notorious for involvement on match-fixing scandal. He is married and has a daughter, and currently lives in Jacareí, São Paulo.

Youth

When he was younger, he tried to become a football player, and made a test at São José, but never signed a contract.

Early refereeing career

In 1991, he became a referee. Three years later, he refereed his first official match, a Campeonato Paulista game.

He became an international referee in 2000, after he was appointed in previous year by Armando Marques, who was the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation Refereeing Commission at the time, as a replacement to referee Dacildo Mourão . He worked in important competitions such as Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Campeonato Paulista, and international competitions such as Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, but never refereed a Football World Cup match.

Among the most famous matches he worked, are both legs of the 2000 Copa Libertadores semifinal tie between Corinthians and Palmeiras.

Scandals

In 2003, he suffered accusations of submitting to Paulista Football Federation (FPF) a fake high school graduation degree, which is a requirement for anyone who wants to be a referee in Brazil. The accusation was never investigated by FPF.

In 2005, he was accused of insulting the Argentine players Sebá and Carlos Tévez, during a match between São Paulo and Corinthians.

He was one of the main figures in the 2005 Brazilian football match-fixing scandal. He was paid between R$10,000 and R$15,000 per fixed match. Eleven Brazilian National Championship matches refereed by him were annulled, and needed to be replayed. Edílson Pereira de Carvalho was suspended on September 24, 2005, and, later was banned for life. He also faced charges of fraud, conspiracy and crimes against the economy. He affirmed that he committed those crimes only because he has a R$40,000 debt.

References

1. ANAF (Associação Nacional dos Árbitros de Futebol, Football Referees National Association) (retrieved on July 30, 2007)
2. Jogos do Brasileiro estavam sendo manipulados por árbitros - Jornal de Uberaba (retrieved on July 30, 2007)
3. Jogo sujo - Veja Online (retrieved on July 30, 2007)
4. Árbitro suspenso - Jornal Nacional (retrieved on July 30, 2007)
5. Armando Marques levou Carvalho à Fifa e deve cair - Folha Online (retrieved on July 30, 2007)
6. Máfia do apito: vice de federação quer processar ex-árbitro de Jacareí Edilson - Portal São José dos Campos (retrieved on July 30, 2007)
7. Corintiano Sebá e juiz vão fazer acareação em tribunal - Folha Online (retrieved on July 30, 2007)
8. Cronologia do escândalo de arbitragem - Terra (retrieved on July 30, 2007)
9. Custo para repetir jogos do Nacional chega a R$ 1,3 milhão - Folha Online (retrieved on July 30, 2007)

External links

• Veja magazine (in Portuguese)
• The Star Online