Brazilian Football Already Has 12 Accusations of Racism in 2014

09/01/2014 - 08h43

"Stinky nigger," Grêmio fans shouted at the goalkeeper of Santos, Aranha, during the football match in Porto Alegre on Thursday, August 28. "Monkey," others called him.

Santos Goalkeeper Victim of Racist Abuse in Copa do Brasil Match

At the end of the game, Aranha told reporters of his resentment and seemed depressed in the locker room. Accusations of racism in Brazilian professional football are frequent.

Folha verified that 12 cases of racism occurred in the first eight months of 2014. That means an average of more than one case of racial offense per month this year. The cases involve players, referees, fans or journalists.

Punishment isn't usually heavy and when defendants appeal to the STJD (Supreme Court of Sports Justice), they make them even lighter.

STJD Attorney General Paulo Schmitt says that the most severe punishment established by the CBJD (Brazilian Code of Sports Justice) is the loss of three points for the team accused.

"In the case of a playoff, it's the same as exclusion," he says.

This year, the most severe punishment for a team for racism was the case of Rio Grande do Sul's Esportivo. In March, referee Márcio Chagas found bananas on his car as he left the Bento Gonçalves stadium after the match against Veranópolis.

In a decision of the state sports court, Esportivo lost nine points, which would relegate it to the second division of the state championship.

The team appealed to the STJD and its punishment was reduced to three points as determined by the CBJD.

Despite the loss of fewer points, Esportivo was still relegated.

That was the only case in Brazil this year in which a team lost points after a case of racism.

SMALL FINES

Bandeirante, which plays in the fourth division of the São Paulo state championship, was fined in only US$ 900 (R$ 2,000) after its fans sang racist chants against Antonio Carlos Buião, the coach of Vocem team.

The match took place in Birigui, in the countryside of São Paulo, in April 2014.

In the same month, São Bernardo's midfielder Marino said he was called "monkey'" by the fans of Paraná Clube in a match of Copa do Brasil.

Paraná Clube was sentenced for the case but didn't lose any points. It received a fine of US$ 13,500 (R$ 30,000). The team appealed and reduced it to US$ 6,700 (R$ 15,000).

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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	Márcio Chagas/Arquivo Pessoal
	In March, referee Márcio Chagas found bananas on his car as he left the stadium after the match against Veranópolis