STJD denies Corinthians’ appeal and maintains fine for pig’s head thrown on the lawn

The Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) rejected Corinthians’ appeal and maintained the fine of R$60,000 to the São Paulo club due to the episode in which a fan of the team threw a pig’s head onto the lawn of the Neo Química Arena, during a classic with Palmeiras, for Brasileirão.

“I vote to maintain the ruling that framed the facts in article 191 due to the throw, but also the entry of the fan with his head”, said auditor Marcelo Bellizze, rapporteur of the process at the STJD. “There was no damage to the show, but it is a very serious situation. The Federal Constitution protects animals and using the dead animal as food to mock the opposing fans is very serious. R$60 thousand is a value that covers this issue.”

The unusual episode and punished by the STJD took place on November 4th, at the Corinthian stadium, in the 32nd round of the Brasileirão – the home team won 2-0. In the 28th minute of the first half, a pig’s head was thrown onto the pitch. As it was a classic in São Paulo, there were only Corinthians fans in the arena’s stands.

“The throwing of the pig’s head on the lawn does not just involve the throwing of an object. In order for the object to be thrown, it first had to enter the arena and there was a breach of regulations, ruling out the possibility of article 213 as there was no mere throwing and disorder, but a series of non-compliance with a series of protocols provided for in the regulation, said Attorney General Paulo Emílio Dantas.

“An 8kg head could hit someone and generate an unthinkable consequence. Furthermore, if an 8kg head entered, what else could have entered? There was a serious security breach, in addition to all the media repercussion”, he added.

Auditors Marco Choy, Rodrigo Aiache, Antonieta Pinto, Mariana Barreiras, Sérgio Henrique Furtado and president Luís Otávio Veríssimo voted with the rapporteur to deny the appeals presented by the Corinthians defense.