Overview
- A violent tackle by Victor Gabriel on July 22 left Cruzeiro forward Gabriel Pec with a fractured tibia, earned Gabriel a red card during the match, and prompted surgery for Pec.
- On July 28 the Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva accepted the Procuradoria’s request to apply paragraph 3 of article 254 of the CBJD, so Gabriel’s suspension will last until Pec is fit to train with a legal cap of 180 days.
- The STJD relator had voted for a fixed six-match ban but was outvoted by a majority of auditors who favored the conditional suspension tied to the injured player’s recovery.
- Internacional’s defense submitted an audio presented as VAR evidence that was later identified as a parody; the club and its law firm acknowledged the error, withdrew the material, and said there was no bad faith.
- Victor Gabriel has apologized publicly and the ruling is open to appeal, with immediate consequences for both squads’ plans and a broader debate starting about how long violent-contact sanctions should be extended.