Corinthians will be denounced for homophobic singing and may lose points

Corinthians will be denounced at the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) because of the homophobic chant sung by its fans on Sunday, during the 1-1 draw in the classic with São Paulo, at the Neo Química Arena.

With this, the club runs the risk of even losing points in the Brasileirão, as determined by the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice (CBJD) in cases of discrimination practiced by a large number of people linked to the same sports entity. There are also similar punishments provided for by the new General Competition Regulation (RGC) of the CBF, which has promised more severe sanctions.

Corinthians present in the stands of the Neo Química Arena sang, in the 18th minute of the classic, the following words: “Let’s go! Let’s go, Corinthians! We’ll have to win these fagots”. The melody is often performed at the alvinegro stadium, but with the phrase “this game we will have to win”. When the game is against rivals, however, the letter is changed.

Upon hearing the offensive chant, referee Bruno Arleu de Araújo stopped the match. In addition, the club itself displayed a message on the Arena’s screen asking them to stop singing: “Attention. It is forbidden to emit discriminatory, racist, homophobic or xenophobic chants”, read the warning. The episode was reported by Araújo in the match summary.

“I inform you that, at 18 minutes of the second half, I paralyzed the match for 2 minutes due to homophobic screams from the crowd: ‘Let’s go, Corinthians, these fagots we will have to win’. , even so, the crowd continued, screaming effusively, and, after the screams ceased, the match was restarted.

The formalization of the complaint and the date of the judgment are still to be defined, but it is certain that Corinthians will be covered by article 243-G of the CBJD, which deals with punishments for “practicing a discriminatory, disdainful or outrageous act, related to prejudice based on ethnic origin”. , race, sex, color, age, condition of an elderly or disabled person”.

In the case of a discriminatory act practiced by large groups of fans, the club is punished with a fine of up to R$ 100,000 and “loss of the number of points attributed to a victory in the competition regulations, regardless of the result of the match, competition or equivalent”. That is, even having tied the game, Corinthians would not lose the point won, but three points. In case of recurrence, the penalty doubles.

Last year, Corinthians was also denounced for homophobic chants in a classic against São Paulo, played in May, but managed to get rid of tougher penalties by paying a fine of R$ 40,000, with half of the amount destined for charities.

This year, the CBF formulated a General Regulation of Competitions (RGC) with clearer determinations on the practice of homophobia. The 2022 RGC spoke, in its first paragraph of the first article, about preventing unsportsmanlike behavior such as “racism, xenophobia or any other form of discrimination”, but did not mention the word homophobia or equivalent terms in any of its 41 pages.

The current regulation, in turn, includes the subject, also in the first paragraph of its first article, treating it as LGBTphobia. “Brazilian football competitions require all players to collaborate in order to prevent unsportsmanlike behavior, as well as violence, doping, corruption, political-religious and party-political manifestations, racism, xenophobia, sexism, LGBTphobia or any other form of discrimination” , says the article.

In the second item, it determines that “unsportsmanlike statements” will be subject to the punishments described in article 134, which provides for a warning, a fine of up to R$ 500,000 (with the possibility of reversing it in favor of social causes), prohibition of registration or transfer of athletes and loss of points. Article 78 defines clubs as responsible for any improper conduct by their respective fan groups.

Still without having received any official notification about the case, Corinthians manifested itself through an official communiqué and condemned the behavior of the fans.

“Corinthians once again vehemently repudiate the homophobic chants reported in the summary of this Sunday’s game (14/5). As always, the club continuously alerts its fans, through its social networks and the sound system and screens of Neo Química Arena, with clarifications to the fans regarding the illegality of these conducts.