"Mouth-Covering Ban": Neymar Handed Two-Match Suspension Under Vinicius Law
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Brazilian sports disciplinary committee suspends Santos star Neymar for two matches following a red card and mouth-covering gesture against Bahia.
Mild Ban for Santos Star: Neymar Suspended Two Matches as "Vinicius Law" Strikes in Brazil
Brazilian forward Neymar, star of Santos, has been handed a two-match suspension by the Second Disciplinary Commission of the Superior Court of Sports Justice following a controversial incident involving a mouth-covering gesture during a heated exchange in a domestic fixture against Bahia.
The penalty enforces the regulation known as the "Vinicius Law", which penalizes players for hiding their mouths with their hands during on-field altercations to promote transparency and curb verbal misconduct. Despite a proposal to impose a four-match ban, the committee majority settled on a reduced two-match sanction, though the decision remains open to appeal.
The controversy originated from a pre-second-half dispute with Bahia midfielder Rodrigo Nestor, resulting in a direct red card via VAR and failed legal defenses arguing the gesture was purely instinctive banter.
