Bruno Henrique, a footballer for Flamengo, has been handed a 12-game suspension and a fine of BRL60,000 (approximately $11,112) after being found guilty of attempting to influence the outcome of a match for betting purposes. This decision was rendered by the First Disciplinary Committee of Brazil’s Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) on Thursday, where Henrique was found guilty of intentionally acquiring a yellow card in a match between Flamengo and Santos in 2023.
The case emerged from an investigation by the Federal Police, which revealed a significant number of bets on Henrique receiving a yellow card. Notably, all 19 bets were traced back to accounts in Belo Horizonte, his hometown.
Sportradar contributed by providing a report that identified this suspicious betting behavior. In addition to Henrique, four other amateur athletes, including three friends and his brother, Wander Nunes Pinto Junior, were also implicated. Wander was identified as the organizer of the betting activities, resulting in a 12-game suspension for him, while the friends received bans ranging from six to seven matches. The lower court's decision remains subject to appeal in front of the full court.
Despite the charges, Henrique maintains his innocence, asserting, "I never committed the offences I am accused of."
Initially, the Prosecutor’s Office charged Henrique under two articles of the Brazilian Judicial Code: Article 243, which pertains to harming his own team, and Article 243-A, which involves actions aimed at influencing the outcome of a match. Following the proceedings, reporting judge Alcino Guedes declared Henrique not guilty of Article 243, stating, "I do not see in the conduct of the accused Bruno Henrique any evidence of deliberately acting in a way that harmed his team." However, he was found guilty under Article 243-A, resulting in the stipulated 12-match suspension and fine.
Wander was characterized as the “mastermind” of the betting, receiving the maximum penalty of a 24-match suspension, which was halved because of his status as an amateur athlete. Furthermore, Guedes approved the Prosecutor Office’s request to send a letter to the Brazilian Football Confederation to extend the STJD’s penalties to FIFA, ensuring the sanctions will have international scope.
Henrique’s attorney, Michel Assef Filho, who also represents Flamengo, defended him in the wake of the betting allegations, noting the club's support for the player. "If Flamengo believed that Bruno Henrique took any action to harm the club, I wouldn’t be here," said Filho. "We’re here because we understand there was no violation. There was no action by Bruno Henrique that could have affected the outcome of the match."
