The Ministries of Women and Sports said they vehemently repudiate the statements made by defender Gustavo Marques, from Red Bull Bragantino, and expressed solidarity with referee Daiane Muniz, who refereed the team’s game against São Paulo, in the quarter-finals of the Campeonato Paulista, this Saturday (21).
Red Bull Bragantino lost 2-1 in the match refereed by Muniz. After the match, the defender said that a woman should not referee a game involving big teams. He claimed that Bragantino was harmed by the arbitration.
“Muniz is a highly qualified FPF/CBF/FIFA referee and a man in the same position would never be disqualified because he is a man. Even if there were disagreements about his performance, his competence would not be questioned because he is a man. This is the central point that needs to be addressed”, says the joint note.
The ministries also highlight that respect for women is non-negotiable and that women should be wherever they want: on the field, in arbitration, in management, in the press or in any other space. Being a woman does not diminish competence, authority or capacity.
“We will remain firm in promoting equality and confronting any form of discrimination in Brazilian sport. We will closely monitor developments in the case in the Sports Court, trusting in the investigation of the facts and appropriate accountability”, emphasize the folders.
FPF note
The São Paulo Football Federation stated that it received the athlete’s interview with deep indignation and revolt and that the statement regarding referee Daiane Muniz reflects a primitive, sexist, prejudiced and misogynistic view, incompatible with the values that govern society and football.
“It is absolutely appalling that an athlete, under any circumstances, questions the ability of a referee based on their gender. The FPF is proud to have 36 female referees and assistants on its staff and continues to work actively to make this number grow”, says the note published on the institution’s website.
The FPF highlights that Daiane Muniz is an FPF/CBF/FIFA referee “of the highest technical, correct and character quality” and that reinforces all support for her and all women who work or wish to work in any area of football.
“Our daily work is to ensure that football is a safe and fair environment for all women. The FPF will forward such statements to the Sports Court, so that it can take all appropriate measures.”
Apology
In its statement on the club’s website, Red Bull Bragantino reinforced its apology to all women and, mainly, to the referee, saying that it does not condone and repudiate the defender’s sexist speech.
“Still at the stadium, the player and the club’s sporting director, Diego Cerri, went to the referee’s locker room to personally apologize on behalf of the institution and acknowledge the error. We know that the weight of an elimination is frustrating, but nothing justifies what was said. Whether in football or in any part of society. The club will study in the coming days the punishment that will be applied to the athlete.”
On his social networks, Marques wrote an apology and said that he was hot-headed and very frustrated with the result obtained by the team and ended up saying what he shouldn’t and couldn’t. The player said he was very sad, that he hopes to come out of this episode a better person and promises to learn from this mistake.
“This does not justify my attitude and I apologize to all the women and especially to Daiane, which I already did personally at the stadium. I recognize my mistake and the unhappiness of my statement.”
