Brazil’s government sent its support to Neymar Tuesday after he was red-carded for a fight in a Ligue 1 match in France, condemning the “racism” that triggered the brawl.
The Paris Saint-Germain star is facing punishment by the French league’s disciplinary commission after slapping defender Alvaro Gonzalez near the end of PSG’s 1-0 loss to Marseille Sunday, accusing the Spaniard of calling him a “monkey.”
Gonzalez denies the accusation. But in Neymar’s native Brazil, the ministry responsible for human rights issues said it stood behind the world’s most expensive footballer.
The statement came after Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday retweeted Neymar’s own version of events.
He now faces a potential multi-match suspension, as does Gonzalez, if league officials find Neymar’s accusation is true.
