Brazilian court hands out groundbreaking punishment to Internacional player for challenge that left Cruzeiro rival with broken leg

The Brazilian Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) has taken the extraordinary step of banning Gabriel for as long as it takes Pec to return to the pitch. The Cruzeiro forward suffered a fractured left tibia on his debut following a heavy challenge from the Internacional defender during a Serie A encounter on July 23.

The court's decision, handed down on Tuesday, stipulates that Gabriel will remain on the sidelines until Pec is medically cleared to return to training. To ensure the punishment remains within legal boundaries, the suspension has been capped at a maximum of 180 days.

Speaking before the court, a distraught Gabriel insisted that there was no malicious intent behind the tackle that led to the injury. The 22-year-old defender expressed his deep regret over the situation, revealing the personal toll the incident has taken on his wellbeing since the match took place.

"I've had sleepless nights praying for him, and I offer a heartfelt apology to everyone at Cruzeiro," he said. "I had the feeling that I would get to the ball first, and I did.

"Since the pitch was quite slippery and wet, I ended up hitting the ball and then I didn’t have time to pull my leg back, and that’s how this somewhat harder tackle happened, but without any intention of causing harm to my fellow professional or any malice."

Gabriel was officially charged under Article 254 of the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice, which covers "violent play." While the article usually carries a set range of matches, the prosecution successfully argued for an extension under a specific provision that allows an offender’s suspension to match the injured player's recovery time in cases of severe physical trauma.

The injury is a massive blow for Cruzeiro, who had invested heavily in Pec just weeks prior to the incident. The forward was a marquee signing for the Brazilian giants, arriving from LA Galaxy for a club-record fee of at least $12 million during the 2026 World Cup break.

Cruzeiro officials have remained focused on the player's recovery, though the severity of the leg break means they will be without their record-breaking acquisition for a significant portion of the campaign. The financial and sporting implications for the club are vast, given the significant outlay required to lure the 25-year-old back to Brazil from North America.

The decision to implement such a non-traditional punishment was not unanimous among the adjudicating panel. One of the sports judges, Rodrigo Steinmann Bayer, initially argued against the recovery-length ban, voting instead for a standard six-match suspension.

However, Bayer was ultimately outvoted by the majority of the panel. Court president Jorge Octavio Lavocat Galvao, along with Eduardo Xible Salles Ramos and Aline Goncalves Jatahy, all voted in favour of enforcing the lengthier penalty. The ruling can still be appealed by Internacional, but for now, the defender's immediate future is tied entirely to the medical progress of the man he injured.