2022 Campeonato Cearense

Campeonato Cearense
Season2022
Dates8 January – 23 April
ChampionsFortaleza (45th title)
RelegatedCrato
Icasa
Copa do BrasilCaucaia
Ferroviário
Iguatu
Fortaleza (via Série A)
Ceará (via RNC)
Série DCaucaia
Iguatu
Pacajus
Atlético Cearense (via Série C)
Ferroviário (via Série C)
Copa do NordesteFortaleza
Ceará (via RNC)
Copa do Nordeste qualificationCaucaia
Ferroviário (via RNC)
Matches played66
Goals scored155 (2.35 per match)
Top goalscorerEdson Cariús (9 goals)
← 2021
2023 →

The 2022 Campeonato Cearense (officially the Cearense 1XBET 2022 for sponsorship reasons)[1] was the 108th edition of Ceará's top professional football league organized by FCF. The competition began on 8 January and ended on 23 April 2022.[2]

After Sportradar found evidence of match fixing, on 16 February 2022, the FCF and the Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva do Futebol do Ceará (TJDF-CE) decided to suspend Crato from the tournament.[3] Therefore, the last match of the first stage Crato v Ferroviário, scheduled for 19 February 2022, was not played and Ferroviário was awarded a 3–0 win.[4]

On 22 February 2022, Icasa were denounced by Atlético Cearense before the TJDF-CE for fielding Leandro Mendes in the match Iguatu v Icasa played on 19 February 2022 (14th round).[5] He was booked three times during the tournament (against Crato, Ferroviário and Maracanã) and was ineligible for the match against Iguatu. Later, Maracanã and Icasa asked the TJDF-CE to expel Crato from the tournament instead of suspending them. With this request, all the matches played by Crato would be annulled and replaced by 3–0 wins, which would allow Maracaná to qualify for the quarter-finals and avoid the possible relegation of Icasa. As the first legs of the semifinals were scheduled for 6 and 8 March 2022, the TJDF-CE suspended the Campeonato Cearense from 6 to 11 March 2022 until the judgement of the case.[6] Although the announcement of the suspension was made while Caucaia and Iguatu were playing the first leg of their semi-final, the match was finished. On 7 March 2022, the STJD (Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva) authorized the FCF to continue with the tournament as initially scheduled.[7] Days later, the TJDF-CE also authorized the normal development of the tournament until the end of the match fixing investigation.[8] On 25 April 2022, the TJDF-CE excluded Crato from the tournament and the matches played by Crato against Pacajus, Iguatu, Atlético Cearense and Ferroviário were annulled and replaced by 3–0 wins,[9] however, two weeks later the TJDF-CE overturned its own decision and annulled all the matches played by Crato and replaced them by 3–0 wins.[10] On 19 May 2022, the STJD, in response to a request from the FCF, Fortaleza, Ferroviário, Caucaia, Iguatu and Crato, temporarily suspended the decisions of the TJDF-CE.[11] Finally, on 23 June 2022, the STJD overruled the decisions of the TJDF-CE confirming the match results and the title of Fortaleza.[12]

Finally, Icasa were deducted four points and sanctioned with a fine of R$3,000 after they were punished, on 25 August 2022, by the TJDF-CE for fielding Leandro Mendes. Icasa were relegated.[13]

The finals were played between the defending champions Fortaleza and Caucaia. Fortaleza won 4–0 on aggregate to win their 45th title.[14]

  1. ^ "Campeonato Cearense se chamará Cearense 1XBET 2022" (in Portuguese). FCF. 5 January 2022.
  2. ^ "CAMPEONATO CEARENSE SERIE A 2022 – TABELA DETALHADA" (PDF) (in Portuguese). FCF. 7 January 2022.
  3. ^ "NOTA OFICIAL - Suspensão do Crato Esporte Clube" (in Portuguese). FCF. 17 February 2022.
  4. ^ "DCO/FCF divulga Portaria 001 sobre o W.O do Crato no Cearense 1XBET 2022" (in Portuguese). FCF. 17 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Atlético-CE entra com recurso no TJDF-CE contra Icasa por escalação irregular no Cearense" (in Portuguese). Globo. 22 February 2022.
  6. ^ "TJDF-CE determina suspensão imediata do Cearense por suspeita de manipulação de resultados" (in Portuguese). Globo. 6 March 2022.
  7. ^ "STJDF concedeu efeito suspensivo que tratava da suspensão do Campeonato Cearense 1XBET 2022" (in Portuguese). FCF. 7 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Julgamento é suspenso no TJDF-CE, e semifinais do Cearense estão confirmadas" (in Portuguese). Globo. 11 March 2022.
  9. ^ "TJDF-CE determina exclusão do Crato do Cearense" (in Portuguese). Globo. 25 April 2022.
  10. ^ "TJDF-CE determina WO para todos os jogos do Crato no Cearense e pode mudar tabela" (in Portuguese). Globo. 9 May 2022.
  11. ^ "STJD suspende decisão do TJDF que anulava todos os jogos do Crato no Cearense" (in Portuguese). Globo. 19 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Pleno do STJD determina homologação dos resultados do Cearense 2022, com Fortaleza campeão" (in Portuguese). Globo. 23 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Icasa é punido e rebaixado no Cearense; Atlético-CE escapa" (in Portuguese). Globo. 25 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Fortaleza é Tetracampeão do Cearense 1XBET 2022" (in Portuguese). FCF. 24 April 2022.