The prosecutor’s office of the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) received the investigation involving Flamengo striker Bruno Henrique, investigated for a possible disciplinary infraction linked to suspicion of match-fixing.
The court will decide whether to file a formal complaint against the athlete. Despite the official deadline of up to 60 days for deliberation, many hope that the STJD will analyze the process sooner, due to the relevance of the case.
Last Friday (6), auditor Maxwell Borges de Moura Vieira concluded the investigation, thus making the document available to both the prosecutor’s office and Bruno Henrique’s legal representatives. The material was then forwarded to the STJD prosecutor, Paulo Dantas, for evaluation and possible statement from the defense soon.
Bruno Henrique provides clarifications at hearing
During a virtual hearing at the STJD, Bruno Henrique presented his version of the facts. At the same time, the Federal Police are investigating whether the athlete had purposely caused a yellow card in the match against Santos, in the 31st round of the 2023 Brazilian Championship. In addition to the player, ten other people, including his brother Wander Nunes Pinto Júnior, are being investigated for possible involvement in the case.
On May 7, after evidence was sent by the Federal Police’s Anti-Corruption Coordination, the president of the STJD for Football, Luís Otávio Veríssimo Teixeira, officially opened the investigation. The objective is to investigate suspicions of match-fixing in a possible betting scheme. For this reason, different institutions have been closely following the case.
In the same month, criminal lawyer Ricardo Pieri Nunes, Bruno Henrique’s defense attorney, filed a request to close the investigation. According to him, the practice of forcing a card does not constitute a crime according to current law. The request is now in the hands of the 7th Criminal Court of Brasília, which will decide whether to accept the defense’s argument and close the investigation, or to order it to be sent to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Ricardo Pieri emphasizes that “the practice of forcing cards as part of a tactical strategy is public and known in the sports world, even encouraged by coaches and admitted by other athletes”.
Furthermore, the case has sparked debates about ethics and sports tactics. Thus, experts argue that the investigation, regardless of the outcome, can serve as a reference for similar situations in the future.
Therefore, the development is of interest to disciplinary sectors and potential legal consequences. Finally, the decision of the STJD prosecutor’s office will be highlighted while awaiting the final statement from the authorities and the athlete’s formal defense.
