The player was called “monkey” by Júlio Antônio Petermann, president of the Deliberative Council of the opposing club.
In the match summary, referee Fábio Augusto Santos Sá reported that he heard the phrase “go cut that hair, you bee bunch”. On the same day, Londrina released a video on social networks in which it is possible to hear the cry of “monkey”. The post was a response to the club from Santa Catarina that, at first, tried to dodge the accusations by claiming that Celsinho was inventing and being opportunistic when explaining his ordeal.
Em resposta a nota oficial do Brusque Futebol Clube, a qual indica como oportunista a vítima Celso Luis Honorato, no ato por ele sofrido de racismo e ainda, em meio as inverdades proferidas sobre o caso, o Londrina Esporte Clube, vem a público expor o vídeo (…) pic.twitter.com/lRDwG56L4V
— Londrina E C (@LondrinaEC) August 31, 2021
Consequences
After posting on Tubarão’s social networks, Brusque apologized and took immediate measures, including the removal of the president of the club’s Council and the installation of cameras to capture audio from the stands. The companies “Beard of Respect” and “Embrast” suspended their sponsorships with the club.
Pedido de desculpa!
Confira: https://t.co/APwFDevZFf pic.twitter.com/q2Upz9pmyq
— Brusque FC (@Brusqueoficial) August 30, 2021
Brusque and the counselor responded to the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) for a “discriminatory act” in a judgment held on September 24, and both were punished. The club from Santa Catarina was punished with the loss of 3 points in Series B and a fine of R$ 60 thousand. The leader was suspended for 360 days from his position and fined R$30,000.
A month later, athletes and Brusque employees released a protest note requesting that the decision be reconsidered by the legal entity. In the document, the players said that the group is composed mostly of athletes of African descent, and that the decision to withdraw points in the Serie B dispute penalized the team and the athletes, who were not responsible for the act.
On November 18, then, the STJD decided to return the 3 points to the club from Santa Catarina in the Series B table of Brasileirão. Brusque, who is fighting relegation in the competition, gained a survival and greater chance of permanence. The penalty was reduced to the loss of a field command in national tournaments and the payment of the fine. Petermann’s punishment (suspension and fine) was maintained.
Celsinho’s reaction
Celsinho had already suffered from racist acts in other matches in the second division of Brasileirão. The Londrina midfielder also heard offenses in the matches against Goiás and Remo, both played in July.
The 33-year-old player, who has been with the Paraná club since 2020, was disappointed with the reduction of the sentence by the STJD to Brusque: “STJD had a great opportunity to change everything. To do something very positive. To be well-regarded by everyone and ended up shooting himself in the foot. Instead of evolving, they retreated. Very shameful. What a big disappointment,” he said in an interview with GE.
A LUTA CONTINUARÁ!
Independente de qualquer julgamento, a nossa luta é para que esse crime não aconteça!
Como já dito, não deve haver tolerância, não deve haver conivência, a luta permanecerá!
RACISMO NÃO, é o que ecoará!#RacismoNão #PorMaisRespeito #NãoNosCalaremos pic.twitter.com/RgaNTMQNxa
— Londrina E C (@LondrinaEC) November 18, 2021
Other cases of racism in Brazilian football in recent years
Check the list below for other cases of racism in matches valid in the tournaments played in the country and which were practiced exclusively by Brazilian fans or players, as was the “Londrina-Brusque case”:
- 2005: during the classic of the Minas Gerais Championship between Atlético and America, player Wellington Paulo, from Coelho, made racist offenses against André Luiz, from Galo. The athlete was punished with a 30-day suspension;
- 2005: goalkeeper Felipe, from Portuguesa, filed a complaint against the president of Vitória, Paulo Carneiro, accusing him of swearing at him with racist offenses after a match in the Serie B of Brasileirão. The leader was removed from office;
- 2005: Juventude was punished with the loss of two field commands and a fine of R$ 200 thousand after some fans offended the player Tinga, from Internacional, in a match against Brasileirão;
- 2006: defender Antônio Carlos, then a Juventude, made racist offenses against the player Jeovânio, from Grêmio, in a match valid for the Campeonato Gaúcho. The Antônio Carlos Football Federation of Rio Grande do Sul for 120 days;
- During the match between Grêmio and Santos for the Copa do Brasil, goalkeeper Aranha was offended by fans of the club from Rio Grande do Sul. The STJD punished Grêmio with exclusion from the tournament and a fine of R$54 thousand.
