Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr has been handed a three-match suspension by Brazil's Supreme Court of Sports Justice (STJD) after violating football's newly implemented disciplinary regulation that prohibits players from covering their mouths while arguing with opponents.
The incident occurred during Santos' 1-1 draw against Bahia in the Brazilian Série A last Saturday. The 34-year-old Santos forward was shown a red card after getting involved in a heated confrontation with Bahia midfielder Rodrigo Nestor. On Wednesday, October 28, 2026, the STJD found Neymar guilty of covering his mouth with his hands during the argument—a direct breach of the newly enacted rule popularly known as the "Vinícius Jr Rule," created to curb secret verbal abuse, racism, and unsportsmanlike behavior on the pitch.
While Neymar was already slated for an automatic one-match ban due to yellow card accumulation, the STJD added a two-match disciplinary suspension. The referee's post-match report further noted that following his expulsion, Neymar aggressively charged toward the opposing team's bench and had to be physically restrained by teammates. This marks Neymar's second major brush with newly introduced football rules in three months, following an August trial rule penalty enforcing anti-time-wasting regulations. Santos FC and Neymar have announced plans to appeal the tribunal's verdict, though the forward is currently expected to remain sidelined until late November.
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