Brazilian Club Gremio Banned from National Cup Amid Racism Scandal
Brazilian football is once again facing a racism controversy, this time involving the club Gremio de Porto Alegre, managed by former national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. The scandal comes in the aftermath of Brazil’s bruising World Cup campaign and has now cast a further shadow over the sport in the country.
The High Court of Sports Justice (TSJD) has handed down a heavy punishment, expelling Gremio from the Copa do Brasil following incidents of racist abuse during a match against Santos on 28 August. According to reports from Brazilian outlet Globo, monkey chants and other racial slurs were directed at Santos goalkeeper Aranha from sections of the home crowd.
Footage of the abuse sparked outrage across Brazil and beyond, prompting swift investigation by authorities. The TSJD ruled that the club’s expulsion from the competition was necessary to send a strong message against racism in football. In addition to their disqualification, Gremio have also been handed a €16,000 fine.
Several fans identified as responsible for the abuse have received two-year bans from entering football stadiums.
Gremio and Scolari have condemned the behaviour and announced plans to appeal the decision, seeking to overturn the sanction. The club argued that it had taken immediate action to identify and ban the offenders.
Scolari, who recently took over at Gremio following his departure from the Brazilian national team after their historic 7–1 World Cup semi-final defeat to Germany, now finds himself embroiled in another crisis, this time off the pitch.
The case has reignited debate in Brazil about racism in football, a recurring issue in South American stadiums, and reinforced calls for stricter enforcement of anti-discrimination measures.
