Conmebol justifies Marcelo’s suspension after expulsion and says that penalty could be greater

Still very annoyed by the suspension of the left-back MarceloO Fluminense tries to annul the judgment that punished the playmaker with three hook games, taking one of the main players of the club out of the two matches of the quarterfinals of the liberators against Olympiaof Paraguay. However, the Conmebol Disciplinary Committee already made the result official and issued a note explaining what led to the decision.

To defend itself, Fluminense used some arguments: The move was not intentional and there was no excessive force on the side’s part, it was just a natural movement with involuntary contact, without brutality, resulting from a “dribble”; A video with Marcelo explaining the move and other videos of other players doing similar moves; There was a flagrant error by the judge of the match, considering that there was no serious rough play or a “soled” at the height of the athlete’s shin; Injured player video, Luciano Sanchez, thanking Marcelo for the apology and stating that it was unintentional; And the repercussion in the media of Marcelo’s reaction after the move and the messages of solidarity from several players around the world.

The Laranjeiras club from Rio de Janeiro also requested an audience for the left-back to be heard in person, but the Latin American entity believed that it was not necessary, since there was already a video of the player explaining the move and considering that the evidence presented by the defense was enough.

As for the penalty of three hook games, Conmebol explained that the judgment at no time took into account Marcelo’s intention. “We would be in another, more serious scenario if it were possible to observe from the images that the player acted in a deliberately violent way (brutality), which in this case the disciplinary consequences could be even more severe”they said.

Check out the full report of Judge Amarilis Belisario, vice-president of the Disciplinary Committee:

Once the play in question has been analyzed, the defense and the report of the main referee of the match, we are faced with an expulsion by direct red for serious rough play, which according to the rules of the game published by the IFAB, results: “Rough play and severe (extremely harsh fouls) tackles or disputes for the ball that endanger the physical integrity of an opponent or in which the player uses excessive force or brutality must be penalized as “sudden and severe play” (extremely harsh fouls) Any player who hits an opponent in the dispute for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind, using one or both legs with excessive force or endangering the physical integrity of the opponent, is playing with excessive force. only has to analyze this case in relation to an action committed by a player and, as can be seen in the regulation, the “intention” is not contemplated, so it is not the object of study.

In the present case, we have an action in which the player Marcelo Vieira Da Silva, faced with the player Luciano Sanchez’s marking, steps on him at the level of the tibia and fibula of the left leg with the use of excessive force, causing extreme pain to his opponent and, as can be seen in the move – product of excessive force -, resulted in the injury to the knee of the player Sanchez who immediately had to leave the field of play and be removed from the stadium by the medical team. Faced with the shocking scene, the same Fluminense FC player realized the seriousness of the rival player’s injury.

In this sense, this Committee understands that the referee (who was close to the play) was right to expel Mr. Vieira da Silva with a direct red card. Indeed, there is no doubt that there was excessive force and, as a consequence, the physical integrity of the opponent was put at risk, which caused the extreme suffering and injury of the player Sanchez.

Although we understand that football is a contact sport, the sole judge is of the opinion that players must measure the use of excessive force in game actions, in order not to endanger the physical integrity of an opponent as expressed in the IFAB Rule 12. In this particular action, it is clear that the player Marcelo Vieira Da Silva did not measure the use of his strength or the danger that this could entail and, as a consequence, caused a complete dislocation of the opponent’s knee.

With regard to the apologies and subsequent acceptance by those involved in the play, this single judge highlights and values ​​the sportsmanship of both players in a situation that led to a serious injury by an athlete who represented his team in a major tournament. prestige such as CONMEBOL Libertadores. However, this situation does not exempt the player Marcelo Vieira Da Silva from responsibility for the offense committed or the disciplinary consequences.

Likewise, press publications and the reactions of the different players have been positively valued by this single judge, considering that one of the most important values ​​in sport, and in football in particular, is solidarity and fair play between players. competitors. However, for the present case, they do not have sufficient probative force to exempt the player from a sanction.

As a result of the above and in view of the statements and publications presented by the defense, it is important to emphasize once again that in the present case, the player’s intention is not being judged, but the action itself (foul). We would be in another, more serious scenario if, from the images, it was possible to observe that the player acted in a deliberately violent (gross) way, which in this case, the disciplinary consequences could be even more severe.

The Disciplinary Commission must assess, in accordance with the evidence and together with the rules, the resolution of the file in a fair and proportionate manner. Consequently, it is concluded that there was action by the player Marcelo Vieira Da Silva with severe brusque play (excessive force – endangering the physical integrity of the opponent), in the play in which the serious injury of Mr. Luciano Sanchez, player of the club Argentinos Juniors.

In view of the circumstances described, and taking into account that Art. 14.1 letter b) item (i) of the CONMEBOL Disciplinary Code establishes that the sanction may be at least one game suspension or for a specified time, this judge considers it appropriate to sanction Mr. Marcelo Vieira Da Silva with a three (3) match suspension, including the automatic suspension established in article 70 of the CONMEBOL Disciplinary Code”.