STJD Charges Pulgar: Midfielder Faces up to Six-Match Ban

Flamengo midfielder Erick Pulgar has been charged by the STJD (Superior Court of Sports Justice) over a challenge on Castillo during the derby against Fluminense. Under the charge, the player risks facing a one- to six-match ban in the Brazilian Championship, even though referee Rafael Klein only issued him a yellow card on the field.

For Bernardo Ramos, the tribunal's move harms Brazilian football and represents an undue attempt to interfere in the decisive stages of the tournament. In the video above, the commentator breaks down how decisions made in court distort sporting competition and highlights the inconsistencies in criteria between match officials and the sports prosecutor's office.

Criteria and Plays Without Retroactive Punishment\n\nBernardo believes that, from a technical standpoint, Pulgar deserved a red card during the derby. However, the journalist emphasizes that retroactive tribunal intervention over plays already judged and sanctioned by the referee on the pitch is a legal anomaly with no solid precedent in the competition.

Furthermore, the lack of consistency across charges is striking. Bernardo points to Barragán's tackle on Carrascal in the 36th minute of the first half during Flamengo's draw with Santos, as well as Guilherme Arana's elbow on Carrascal in the 15th minute of the first half in the Fla-Flu derby—incidents that did not result in STJD charges. The commentator also recalls that the same referee, Rafael Klein, sent off Carrascal for an elbow on Breno Bidon in the Supercopa do Brasil, laying bare the referee's conflicting criteria.