The Federal Public Prosecution Service set up on Wednesday (19) civil inquiry to investigate the CBF’s performance in the face of racism against the player Luighi, Palmeiras, during the Libertadores U20 and about the speech of Conmebol president Alejandro Domingues, who said the competition without Brazilians is like “Tarzan without cheetah”.
The procedure also aims to investigate the concrete measures adopted by both the CBF and the Ministry of Sports to curb racism in football.
The inquiry was launched after the request of the racial jus to investigate civil liability by omission of the CBF in the episode against Luighi during a match against Cerro Porteño, Paraguay. The entity, which gathers experts in racial justice, evaluated that there is negligence from the entity.
Shortly after the episode, which took place on March 6, the CBF issued a repudiation note and said it would charge strict punishments. Conmebol determined on Sunday (9) that Cerro Porteño will compete with the closed gates the next matches of the 2025 edition of Libertadores under-20.
Sought, the CBF and the ministry did not comment on the inquiry.
Luigi was the target of racism during a match at Cerro Porteño stadium. Rival team fans made gestures imitating monkey towards the Brazilian. One of them, near the grid that divided the field of the stands, held a child on his lap. The match, valid for the quarterfinals, was not paralyzed at the time.
After the confrontation, asked about his team’s performance, Luighi scolded the reporter of the official broadcast of the tournament, who had ignored the episode on the field.
“It hurts the soul,” he said, minutes later, in a publication on social networks. “It’s the same pain that all blacks have felt throughout history, because things evolve, but it’s never 100% resolved.”
Jus Brasil states that the CBF did not present the athlete’s technical defense for not having made formal challenge against the lack of punishment to the referee for not interrupting the match, as prescribed by Conmebol rules. It would not have questioned, according to the entity, the amount of the fine imposed, of R $ 288.4 thousand.
Less than two weeks later, Alejandro Domingues made comment with racist content when asked about the possibility of Libertadores being played without Brazilian clubs. The suggestion was made by the president of Palmeiras, Leila Pereira.
“It would be like Tarzan without cheetah. Impossible,” he said. Chita is a chimpanzee character who accompanies the hero Tarzan on adventures in the forest.
The statement was made in an interview with journalists on Monday night (17) after the Libertadores group stage draw. Domínguez apologized for the statements on Tuesday (18) in a note published on his social networks.
“The expression I used is a popular phrase and never intended to underestimate or disqualify anyone. I always promoted respect and inclusion in football and society, fundamental values for Conmebol,” he wrote.
