A year after 10 Flamengo players died in a fire, their families still seek justice

Ten teenagers died at Flamengo’s training ground last year. The club has still not agreed compensation with all of their families

By Joshua Law for Yellow & Green Football

Simone Souza stood outside Flamengo’s training ground, hoping to be let in. She just wanted to go into the car park, light a candle and say a prayer. A year before, on the night of 8 February 2019, her 15-year-old nephew Jorge Eduardo and nine of his friends were burned to death in that very spot when a fire engulfed the makeshift dormitories the club had used to house their youth team.

On the day of the anniversary, the Flamengo players and coaching staff paid their own tribute to the boys at the training ground. Simone merely wished to do the same. But her request was denied. Security barred her and the relatives of another victim, forcing them to kneel in prayer at the side of the road. This stunningly insensitive decision – “humiliating” was the word Souza used – has been met with widespread criticism in Brazil. It has also provided a crystal-clear summary of how Flamengo has handled the fallout from this most terrible of tragedies.

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from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/feb/23/flamengos-10-boys-fire-dead-training-ground-families-justice