Rio de Janeiro
Photographer Nuremberg José Maria, 67, is an easy figure on the football pitches (and volleyball courts) of Minas Gerais, but now he will have to take some time away from work. Hit by a bomb thrown by Atlético-MG fans in the Copa do Brasil final against Flamengo, he is doing well after undergoing surgery on Sunday night (10), but there is still no forecast for discharge.
Nuremberg, known as Berg, is one of the best-known professionals in the capital of Minas Gerais and suffered three broken fingers, ruptured tendons in his foot, in addition to suffering injuries to his body from the explosion of the device. Self-employed, he owns an agency that bears his name, and worked for more than 10 years at the BBC in London. He covered shows by Lionel Richie, Beyoncé, Elton John, among others, in the English capital.
Berg was at the Paris Olympics and closely followed practically all the games of the Minas Gerais football teams this year — whether in the state, the Brasileirão, the Copa do Brasil or the Libertadores.
He has three children, Djeniffer, Bianca and Ícaro, and is the loving grandfather of two girls: Claire and Ester, who call him “Grandpa Beleza”. On his networks, the photographer makes clear the pleasure that his work gives him and does not hesitate to take selfies alongside his sporting idols.
After the game in which the professional was injured, the Association of Photographic and Cinematographic Reporters in the State of Minas Gerais (Arfoc-MG) issued a note of repudiation and highlighted that it had already reported similar cases to the administration of Arena MRV, calling for the implementation of security measures.
The referee of the final, Raphael Claus, recorded in the summary that bombs were thrown onto the pitch, coming from the stands where the Atlético-MG fans were, at four different moments: at 9 minutes, at 49, at 50 and at 52 minutes of the game . The artifacts exploded near the players. Plastic cups were also released in four situations during the Copa do Brasil decision, won by Flamengo 1-0.
