Generalized anxiety disorder and episodes of panic crises, characterized by manifestations such as crying and intrusive thoughts, as well as functional damage in the sports context, led Isabela (fictitious name) to abandon the dream of being a soccer player.
The 16 -year -old, who was part of the São Paulo female base until May this year, reported having spent two years of humiliation and psychological pressures. According to a report signed by a psychologist hired by her parents, this led her to develop a traumatic picture.
According to the family report, Isabela began to live daily with shouts, debaches and public broncas from Vinícius de Oliveira Santos, coach responsible for the under-15 category at the time. With each error in training, the family says, he reinforced comments to demoralize her in front of his colleagues, encouraging laughter and offensive nicknames, such as “Monga” and “Tonta”.
Over time, the girl began to show signs of intense anxiety, crying after the activities and fearing the time to enter the field.
The technician’s behavior, named as repetitive and systematic by the young woman and her mother, who accompanied her in activities, included charges described as disproportionate and lack of reception in the face of situations that fled the control of the athlete, as previously agreed delays with the club’s coordination.
On one occasion, even after a tumble that resulted in injured, she was forced to continue the exercises with pain. For the family, Vinicius’s attitude exceeded limits of the sports demand and was configured as bullying.
“I played with him for two years, and during this time, in all training, he always screamed with me. He never praised me, never said what I could improve. He only screamed with me. After the games, he always managed to blame me for defeats,” Isabela told the Sheet.
Accompanied by her parents in the interview, the young woman said other girls from the tricolor cast also feel uncomfortable with the coach’s behavior.
“One thing he did a lot with me was jokes to humiliate me in front of the girls, to laugh. If they didn’t laugh, he would be bad for them,” he said. “The girls were very afraid of him. So much so that when the girls started to realize that he was taking more on their foot, they always asked me advice, asking what I did, how I dealt,” added the young woman, who decided to get away from the sport. “He made me lose the love I had for football.”
Isabela’s parents made a complaint to the São Paulo prosecutor. According to lawyer Adriano Cesar Braz Caldeira, who represents the family, they await the reception of the action.
Before appealing to court, the family sought canals in the club itself. In response, Isabela’s father received an email on the 13th, in which Sao Paulo claimed to have made an internal investigation.
After the investigation, according to the answer sent, “the appropriate dealings were adopted, including continuous improvement, reinforcement of preventive actions and training of employees, aiming at maintaining a healthy, safe and ethical work environment.”
In the message, signed by the Executive Committee of Integrity, there is no mention of the technician and nothing specific about possible punishments.
On May 15, the parties broke the sports training agreement, in a mutual agreement. According to one of the distract clauses, Sao Paulo has committed to ensure that no club employee, especially the women’s soccer department, communicates with the athlete until it reaches the age of adult.
Sought by the report, Sao Paulo confirmed that it was notified by the family about the case and reported that it made an internal investigation, but did not give details of the case. “It is also noteworthy that this is a minor, where confidentiality and legal care is needed,” the club said in a statement.
A Sheet He also asked the club an interview with coach Vinícius de Oliveira Santos, but had as response that only the advisory of São Paulo would speak on his behalf.
See the full note of São Paulo about the case
São Paulo Futebol Clube informs that, as soon as it was notified by the party, referred the case to calculate the compliance department – which has strict confidentiality rules.
São Paulo has a general institutional channel, not only for base but for all employees, which is part of the compliance program. The tool is market, which ensures anonymity.
In addition, the female base has an assistance network to take care of the athletes’ well-being.
It is also noteworthy that this is a minor, where confidentiality and legal care is needed. São Paulo remains available to the athlete and its representatives for any doubts.
