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Brazil meets opponents at Flag Football World Cup, possible Olympic sport in 2028 | football

After months of struggle to financially make participation in the tournament, the time has come to take the field and compete. The IFAF (International Federation of American Football) announced on Wednesday the groups of the World Flag Football, a sport that is a non-contact variation of traditional American football and that has the support of the NFL to integrate the program of the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

A men’s team, newcomer to the competition, will be in the group C, together with Denmark, Italy, Spain, Japan and Switzerland. Me and female, which is going to its 5th participation, will be part of the key D, alongside Mexico, Israel, Denmark, Japan and Slovenia.

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National teams participated in a training camp in October — Photo: Marcos M. Carmona/CBFA

As it is an amateur sport in Brazil, the main obstacle to the presence of our teams was the financial part. Between tickets, accommodation and other costs, each athlete will pay around R$ 10 thousand out of their own pocket, with some trying to reduce the amount with raffles and collective financing. The CBFA paid part of the tournament fees.

– It’s my dream to represent my country in an international competition, in a World Cup. Line up with 14 other guys from completely different places and accents and listen to the Brazilian national anthem with the Brazilian flag stretched out. This is definitely priceless – said Nicolas Quadro, athlete of the men’s team and Floripa Ghosts.

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Nicolas Quadro defends Floripa Ghosts and was called up for the Brazilian national team — Photo: Marcos M. Carmona/CBFA

What is Flag Football?

Flag Football was created as a non-contact alternative to traditional American football. Instead of knocking down the opponent, in Flag the play stops when the defender removes one of the ribbons attached to the player’s belt with the ball. This makes the sport more accessible than the traditional version, as it eliminates the need for expensive equipment and is obviously safer to practice.

There are some variations of Flag Football, but the most popular one that will be played at the Worlds is the 5×5. The differences from traditional American football, in addition to the lack of contact, are:

  • Each team has five players on the field, instead of the 11 in the original version.
  • The field is smaller, 70 yards (64 meters) long by 25 yards (23 meters) wide, including the endzones.
  • The game has two periods of 20 minutes, with 25 seconds to start each play and the clock only stops when there is a change of possession or in the final two minutes when one of the teams wins the first down. Each team is entitled to two timeouts per time.
  • All players on the field are eligible to receive a pass, there is no offensive line.
  • There is no field goal or punt.
  • Campaigns always start at the 5-yd-line of the defense field, with the exception of interceptions.
  • The first player to be snapped cannot advance the ball.

– Flag Football is very integral to the growth of the sport around the world. It’s cheaper because you don’t need the equipment, you start a league with fewer players, you don’t need specific fields with specific posts. The costs to start, the number of players playing and the field requirements make it a much better option than tackle football for growth, not to mention the fact that having no contact makes it safer – said Richard MacLean, president of the international football federation, to the ge.

Could it become an Olympic sport?

With the Olympics returning to the United States in 2028, the movement to have American football, the most popular sport in the country, became part of the Olympic program gained momentum. As it would be very difficult to include it for several reasons, such as the size of each team (more than 50 athletes) and difficulty to fit an entire competition in two weeks, Flag Football emerged as the best option.

According to a “Reuters” article in April, the NFL offered support to the International Football Federation to help include Flag in the program of the Los Angeles Games in 2028. which includes sports that are not part of the Olympics, and the 2024 World University Games.

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Brazilian women’s flag football team goes to its 5th edition of the World Cup — Photo: Marcos M. Carmona/CBFA

Flag Football, having smaller squads and the possibility of playing more games in a shorter period, would fit better in the Olympics. Furthermore, there is a greater balance of forces than in the traditional version. Among men, the US won four out of nine editions, while in women’s the country only won the title once..

The IFAF strives to be fully recognized by the International Olympic Committee, as it currently has provisional recognition. This could happen in 2021 and would be an important step towards integrating the 2028 Olympics program, while the Federation already maintains a dialogue with the event’s organizing committee.

Like American football, Flag Football is a sport played in Brazil for a short time. The growth of the traditional modality pulled Flag together, which is attractive for the reasons mentioned above, such as lower cost and lack of physical contact, which makes it safer.

– With the growth of American football in Brazil, Flag went up with it, mainly because it is an easier sport, more accessible and cheaper to practice, obviously considering our financial reality. American football equipment is very expensive, and besides, in the flag it is easier for you to introduce 14, 15, 16 year old kids. We still have a lot to evolve, but we are on the right path – said Nicolas Quadro.

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Flag Football Women’s Team — Photo: Marcos M. Carmona/CBFA

If the men’s team will debut at the Worlds this year, the women’s team is already a stamp stamped on the competition. Brazil participated in the last four editions, showing a clear evolution: 12th place in 2012, 10th in 2014, 6th in 2016 and 6th again in 2018, with the right to defensive MVP of the tournament for Pamela Peres.

– When we started women’s American football and Flag here in Brazil, in mid-2007, a little later there was an invitation in 2011 for us to participate in the Flag Football 5×5 modality in the 2012 World Cup. We didn’t know this modality, we played 8×8, and when we met right away, we fell in love and realized that even with the same strategy dynamics, super intelligent, there are many differences and are totally different modalities. We fell in love with her, besides thinking a lot that since 2012 they’ve been talking about it being a possible Olympic modality – said Victoria Guglielmo, coach of the Brazilian women’s team and who participated in four editions of the World Cup, three as a player and one as a defensive coordinator.

The Flag Football World Cup takes place every two years since 2002, always with a male and female version at the same venue. In 2020 the competition would be held in Denmark, but the pandemic forced its cancellation. The tournament then moved to 2021 and will take place in Israel between December 6th and 8th.

In the feminine will be three groups of five teams and one of six, a total of 21 countries. The teams all face the same bracket and the top two of each qualify for the knockout, starting in the quarter-finals.

  • Group A: United States, Spain, France, Team Neutral*, Finland
  • B Group: Panama, Belarus, Italy, Czech Republic and Chile
  • Group C: Canada, Austria, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland
  • Group D: Mexico, Israel, Denmark, Japan, Brazil and Slovenia

In males, the dispute format is the same. The only difference is the number of participants, which will be 24 teams divided into four groups of six. Are they:

  • Group A: United States, Canada, France, Sweden, Chile and Slovenia
  • B Group: Austria, Panama, South Korea, Team Neutral*, Belarus and India
  • Group C: Denmark, Italy, Spain, Japan, Switzerland and Brazil
  • Group D: Mexico, Israel, Germany, Finland, Thailand and Slovakia

*- Neutro Team is the Russian national team, which still cannot compete using the country’s colors and names due to the suspension for the doping scandal, the same one that made its delegation compete as the Russian Olympic Committee in the Olympics.

Among women, the great forces in sport are the United States, Panama and Mexico. On a lower level, Austria, Canada and Brazil itself appear, which was 6th in the last two editions of the World Cup.

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The Brazilian flag teams participated in a training camp in São Paulo in early October — Photo: Marcos M. Carmona/CBFA

In the men’s tournament, the United States, champions of the last three editions and with four titles in general, emerges as the big favorite. Denmark, the current European champions, and Italy, defeated by the Danish national team, are also strong, as well as Austria and hosts Israel.

Calendar (Brasilia time):

  • 6/12 – 9:30 am: Brazil x Spain
  • 6/12 – 12:00: Brazil x Japan
  • 6/12 – 4:30 pm: Brazil x Switzerland
  • 12/7 – 8:15 am: Brazil x Denmark
  • 12/7 – 10:45 am: Brazil x Italy
  • 6/12 – 8:15 am: Brazil x Slovenia
  • 12/6 – 10:45 AM: Brazil x Mexico
  • 12/6 – 1:15 PM: Brazil x Denmark
  • 12/7 – 2h: Brazil x Japan
  • 12/7 – 4h30: Brazil x Israel

Call for the men’s team

  • Adan Rodriguez (receiver) – Coritiba Crocodiles
  • Alexandre “Menorito” Coimbra (defender) – Flag Kings
  • Bruno de Souza (defender) – Bulls Potiguares
  • Felipe “Feijão” Alves Leite (defender) – Campo Grande Predators
  • Fernando Takai (quarterback) – São Paulo Buzz
  • Guilherme Belliero (defender) – São Paulo Buzz
  • Gustavo Baioni (receiver) – Campo Grande Predadores
  • João Felipe Couto (blitzer) – São Paulo Buzz
  • Leonardo Hirai (defender) – Sorocaba Braves
  • Leonardo “Mclovin” Rodrigues (snapper and receiver) – São Paulo Buzz
  • Lucca Germano (receiver and quarterback) – São Paulo Buzz
  • Marcos Vinicius “Seya” (receiver) – São Paulo Buzz
  • Nicolas Quadro (snapper and receiver) – Floripa Ghosts
  • Rafael Polidoro (defender and blitzer) – São Paulo Buzz
  • Renato Mumford (receiver) – Bulls Potiguares

Call for the women’s team

  • Alessandra Rodrigues de Souza (Quarterback) – Spartans
  • Amanda Boabaid (Defender) – Brasilia Selvagens
  • Ariane Aparecida Lozada (Receiver and blitzer) – São Paulo Storm
  • Carolina de Lima (Defender) – Cobrarés
  • Ester Biss de Alencar (Receiver, Iron and Blitzer) – Antares
  • Karoline Furoni de Abreu Souza (Defender) – Hillbillies
  • Karolyne Priscyla dos Santos (Quarterback) – Brasilia Selvagens
  • Kely Araújo Silva das Dores (Defender) – Antares
  • Lara Ferraz Torelli (Receiver and Center) – Piedade Hainus
  • Lara Rodrigues Nesralla (Receiver and Blitzer) – Brasília Selvagens
  • Luiza Calaça Martins (Center, Receiver and Blitzer) – Antares
  • Mariana Martins (Defender) – Antares
  • Taísa Alencar (Receiver and Blitzer) – Cobrarés
  • Pamela Peres (Defender) – Brasilia Selvagens
  • Pamella Pereira (Defender) – Phoenix

The Flag Football World Cup will give eight seats to the World Games, which will take place next year in the United States between the 7th and 17th of July in the city of Birmingham, in the state of Alabama. And being there is the objective of the Brazilian team, both for women and men.

To be among the top 8 teams (it’s the goal). The top eight qualify for next year’s World Games in the United States. And the World Games is a preparatory competition for the Olympics. Every modality that entered the Olympic Games has gone through the World Games. And this is the dream and desire of everyone who plays flags. That very soon this can be an Olympic sport, and that Brazil can be there to participate. The level is very high and the goal is complicated, especially for a men’s team that has never participated, but we know it’s possible and we’re 200% focused on this goal – said Nicolas.

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