1987 Copa Uni.C3.A3o Clube dos 13

the clube dos 13 teams dissatisfied cbf, , organized own championship independently of cbf. copa união contested between sixteen teams: thirteen founding members of clube dos 13 , 3 invited teams (coritiba, goiás , santa cruz).

the first phase of copa união divided in 2 stages, , teams divided in 2 groups of 8 teams (group , group b). both stages played in single round-robin format. in first stage teams 1 group played against teams of other group. in second stage, teams played inside own groups. winners of 2 groups both stages qualified semifinal phase. semi-finals , finals played in 2 legs.

the competition not recognized cbf, , winners not officially credited national champions. cbf invited winner , runner-up of copa união, flamengo , internacional, respectively play against cbf s competition winner , runner-up (sport recife , guarani), proposal refused. so, cbf did not recognize flamengo , internacional champions , runners-up , neither did invite them play copa libertadores.

after unsuccessful attempts made flamengo obtain recognition in sport tribunals national champion year 1987, common justice civil suit filed before brazilian federal judiciary, , suit judged in favor of sport recife, obtained judicial declaration 1987 national champion.

afterwards, cbf long held not review matter, either removing title sport recife , awarding flamengo, or splitting 1987 title between 2 clubs, declaring both flamengo , sport 1987 champions, because prevented doing result of civil suit declared sport national champions. suit ended after possibilities of appeal extinguished, , decision in favor of sport recife became res judicata.

in 2011, however, amid internal cbf political disputes, flamengo persuaded presidency of cbf take different view. flamengo argued judicial decision in favor of sport had narrower scope: directed sport recife recognized 1987 champions, but, according view presented, did not preclude cbf recognizing flamengo champions. thus, flamengo argued cbf still split title between 2 clubs if wanted to. cbf legal consultants agreed view, , presidency of cbf agreed recognize both flamengo , sport 1987 champions. accordingly, on february 21, 2011, cbf issued declaration recognizing flamengo 1987 national champions, along sport recife. sport recife, however, took matter court once more: argued before federal court had passed judgement in 1980s ruling being breached cbf.

sport recife managed persuade federal judge earlier judicial ruling declaring 1987 champion prevented cbf diminishing title in way, , accordingly cbf not recognize flamengo or other team champions, or joint champions. federal judge issued injunction, in force , upheld regional federal appeals court, declaring sport sole 1987 national champions, , ordering cbf recant february 21, 2011 declaration. cbf complied judicial order and, on june 14, 2011, issued new declaration, revoked february declaration had recognized flamengo joint champions, , proclaimed recognition of sport recife sole 1987 national champions. cbf further declared doing comply judicial order, , still believed actions had not breached earlier ruling.