Brazilian club sack player after alleged racist comment sparks on-pitch brawl

Updated: 06 Oct, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Brazilian club sack player after alleged racist comment sparks on-pitch brawl

Brazilian side Batel Guarapuava have confirmed they have sacked player Diego with immediate effect after he allegedly made a racist remark towards an opponent during their FPF Cup clash with Nacional-PR on Saturday.

Although Batel won the match 1-0 to progress to the next round, the result was quickly overshadowed by a disturbing incident in the final minutes of the game at the Waldomiro Gelinski Stadium in Guarapuava.

Brawl Erupts After Alleged Racist Remark

In the 89th minute, referee Diego Ruan Pacondes da Silva stopped play for a foul, sparking a heated verbal exchange between Batel's Diego and Nacional defender Paulo Vitor Roberto Silva de Oliveira (PV).

Witnesses claim that Diego made a racist comment, reportedly calling PV a "monkey," prompting the Nacional player to punch him in retaliation.

Both players fell to the ground as team-mates rushed in, threatening to escalate the scuffle into a full-scale brawl.

Following the altercation, PV informed the referee of the alleged racial abuse.

The official then crossed his arms in an X shape - a recognised signal under FIFA's anti-racism protocol - and stopped play for around 18 minutes.

O pau fechou em Batel X Nacional.

O zagueiro do Nacional após ser xingado pelo camisa 8 do Batel, não aceitou e colocou o cara pra dormir.

O caso está sendo tratado como um possível caso de racismo... pic.twitter.com/zjK9Dog70z
— André Luis Fontana (@fontana_andre) October 4, 2025

Club Acts Swiftly Following Incident

Diego, who suffered facial injuries and was later taken to hospital, was immediately dismissed by his club less than 24 hours after the match.

In a statement, Batel Guarapuava said:

After presenting itself to the competent authorities regarding the incident in yesterday's match against Nacional, the player involved was immediately removed from his activities and is no longer part of the club's professional squad.

Batel reaffirm their commitment to respect, equality and human rights, vehemently repudiating any form of prejudice, racism or discrimination.

The club also confirmed they will fully cooperate with the relevant authorities as investigations continue.

Parana Football Federation Condemns Racism

The Parana Football Federation (FPF), which oversees the state's competitions, also released a statement condemning the events.

We condemn what happened in the match between Batel and Nacional for the FPF Cup.

The acts of this Saturday will be forwarded and judged by the Sports Justice Court of Parana.

The FPF added that it would continue its anti-racism initiatives across all competitions, reaffirming its "zero tolerance" stance on discrimination and violence in football.

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