The Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) has charged Bruno Henrique, a Flamengo striker, for a foul that occurred in the match against Santos, in November 2023, at the Mané Garrincha Stadium.
The organization states that Bruno Henrique could be away from the field for up to two years, since the foul, committed in the second half, resulted first in a yellow card and then in the player’s direct expulsion.
The complaint alleges that the player helped people close to him, including his own brother, profit from bets related to the occurrence of the cards he received. If the courts confirm the charges, Bruno Henrique will be suspended until 2026.
Expulsion against Santos
The referee sent off Bruno Henrique in the 50th minute of the second half, in the duel between Flamengo and Santos, valid for the Brazilian Championship, on November 1, 2023, in Brasília.
Flamengo was trailing 2-1 when the striker fouled Soteldo. Bruno Henrique then approached the referee to complain, and was subsequently shown a red card just minutes before the end of the match.
This move attracted attention because many people specifically bet on this penalty, including the athlete’s family and close friends. Therefore, sportsbooks identified an above-average volume of these bets and decided to withhold payouts.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Federal District and Territories (MPDFT) has opened an investigation to determine possible manipulation of results.
In addition to Bruno Henrique, his brother, Wander Nunes Pinto Junior, Andryl Sales Nascimento dos Reis, Claudinei Vitor Mosquete Bassan, and Douglas Ribeiro Pina Barcelos also received formal charges. Wander’s wife and a cousin of Bruno Henrique’s are not named in the case.
Bruno Henrique responds to the STJD and the common courts
The STJD based the complaint on several articles of the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice (CBJD), such as article 243, §1º, 243-A, sole paragraph, article 184, article 191, III, in addition to article 65, II, III and V of the regulations of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) of 2023.
The STJD Prosecutor’s Office accepted the case this Friday (1). If the authorities confirm the guilt, the player could be suspended for up to 720 days and pay a fine of up to R$100,000. The mentioned articles also allow for punishments of 12 to 24 games of suspension.
Finally, the striker will still face charges before the Federal District and Territories Court of Justice (TJDFT) in the ordinary court. Even with the case ongoing, Bruno Henrique maintains his normal routine and remains available to play for Flamengo until the trial.
