Wallace on punishments for talking about Lula: “I made a mistake, I regretted it”

After entering the court on Sunday, thanks to an injunction granted by the STJD, and winning the title of the Men’s Volleyball Super League with Cruzeiro, the opposite Wallace spoke about the punishments he received from the Council of Ethics of the Brazilian Olympic Committee (CECOB) per incitement to violence against President Lula (PT).

In a publication on Instagram, he again admitted that he was wrong to ask his followers who would shoot Lula and thanked the people who supported him.

“Guys, before thanking you, I would like to talk to everyone who accompanies me, about everything that happened to me in this ‘half season’. I made a mistake, ONE mistake off the court, which I apologized for, I regretted it. I don’t want any athlete to pass for that. It was difficult, but with the help mainly of my family, of Sada Cruzeiro, who at all times understood my fault and still stayed by my side, and finally friends”, he said.

“Ahhh! How many friends did I see, huh? This time the REAL ones, who in turn were few and these few were sincere and gave me a lot of strength. I don’t want to mention names, because it would be unfair to end up forgetting someone to thank for the support, but yes A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who helped me, supported me. To my lawyer who did an excellent job throughout the process, always playing within the 4 lines, always keeping me calm and giving me security”, he added.

Cruzeiro beat Minas by 3 sets to 0 in the Superliga final, on Sunday, in São José dos Campos, and won its eighth title in the competition. Wallace started on the bench and came on three times throughout the match. He scored a single point, the last of the match. In this second publication, he also celebrated the title.

“Congratulations guys! You had a great season. This team that never tires of winning, of winning titles… For me it is a great pleasure to be alongside sensational people like you. Thanks for everything Sada Cruzeiro family!” Olympic champion.

Wallace was removed by Cruzeiro after posting with a threat to Lula

Wallace was sidelined by Cruzeiro in late January after making a series of posts on Instagram about his visit to a shooting range.

On the occasion, he opened a box of questions to his followers, was asked by a follower if he “would shoot Lula in the face” and responded with a poll. “Would anyone do this: yes or no?”. After the repercussions, he recorded a video apologizing and saying that he had no intention of promoting violent ideas.

On April 3, CECOB determined the suspension of the opposite, for 90 days, of all activities related to COB, as well as to sports entities linked to the Brazilian Olympic system. The CBV interpreted the decision as a reason to ban him from its competitions for the specified period, but an injunction granted by the STJD the following week accepted the athlete’s defense request and determined that he be released to play.

The president of the STJD of Volleyball, Eduardo Affonso de Santis Mendes Farias de Mello, agreed with the argument presented by the player’s lawyer, Leonardo Andreotti. In their assessment, the way in which the suspension was placed makes it impossible for Wallace only to assume administrative positions in the COB or other confederations linked to the entity, without extension to the sports sphere. “I don’t see how to say that the athlete’s participation for a team, in a competition organized by the CBV, could be understood as a function with the Confederation, not least because his bond is directly with the Club”, wrote Farias de Mello in a guarantee.

Even with the injunction, Cruzeiro was in doubt about whether or not to use Wallace in the decisive match of the Superliga, afraid of receiving some punishment, a possibility that is not ruled out. The COB, which questioned the STJD and reaffirmed that its decision can be clearly interpreted as a banning of competitions, is considering taking some action regarding the use of the opposite by Cruzeiro in the final.

In addition to the 90-day suspension of COB-related activities, effective as of the opening day of the process, Wallace is barred from defending the Brazilian national volleyball team for one year. He announced his retirement after the Tokyo Olympics, in 2021, but agreed to return to compete in last year’s World Cup, in what must have been his last act with the shirt with which he was Olympic champion in 2016, in Rio, and silver medalist in 2012 in London.