The court of rejected the criminal complaint filed by striker Dudu against the president of ,. The player, who currently defends the, accused the leader of injury and defamation for statements made in interviews granted in January and May 2025, in which, according to the athlete’s defense, Leila would have offended her honor and hindering dishonorable behaviors.
In the decision, Judge Érica Aparecida Ribeiro Lopes and Navarro Rodrigues, from the 13th Criminal Court of Barra Funda, concluded that the president’s speeches did not constitute a crime against honor, but were within the exercise of freedom of expression. For the magistrate, Leila expressed opinions related to the contractual conflict between the parties and had no intention of defaming or injurying the player.
Among the lines pointed out by Dudu’s defense is Leila’s statement: “What I don’t forget is the damage he gave to Palmeiras.” The athlete also claimed that the leader had hinted that he broke into contractual obligations with the club and was called “misogynist.” However, the judge pointed out that Leila did not use the word, just said she believed that the way she was attacked by the player was related to the fact that she was a woman.
“We women suffer daily, these offenses and humiliations. I have no doubt that everything this athlete has done is because I am a woman. He did not do it with statements with men, male presidents, only against me,” Leila said in another interview.
The clash between the two began in 2024, when Dudu made a publication directed to the leader with the expression “VTNC” during discussions about his stay in the club. Subsequently, in an interview, the striker also implied that “everyone knows how she came to the presidency of Palmeiras.”
The statements resulted in punishment in the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD). Unanimously, Dudu was suspended for six matches and fined R $ 90,000 for violation of article 243-G of the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice, which deals with discriminatory offense. The court understood that the athlete’s lines had misogynistic character and reinforced stereotypes that disqualify women in leadership positions.
With the decision on Friday (19), the player’s criminal complaint was rejected based on article 386, item III, of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which provides for acquittal when there is no sufficient evidence of crime.
*With information from Estadão Content
Posted by Nicolas Robert
