SAO PAULO – Corinthians women’s players covered their ears and mouths during the Brazilian national anthem before their league match against Santos on April 12 in protest at the return of coach Kleiton Lima amid harassment allegations.
Lima left Santos last September after 19 players accused him of harassment in anonymous letters published in a report from Brazilian media outlet Globo Ge.
“Those frivolous letters never applied to me,” the 49-year-old coach told a news conference at his presentation on April 9.
“I left the club to wait for Santos to carry out their investigation. There is no formal accusation against me in court.”
He added that, before handing over his position, he asked club director Alexandre Gallo to investigate the case and to open an inquiry to clarify the authorship of the anonymous letters, saying he had been the victim of slander and defamation.
The protest, which the Santos players did not repeat against their coach, also took place during the match between Avai and Palmeiras.
In the official photograph, the No. 19 shirts of both teams turned their backs on each other while their teammates covered their mouths in reference to the number of complaints against Lima.
He was Brazil’s women’s team coach from 2008 till 2011 and led them to the Copa America Femenina title in 2010.
Reuters contacted Santos and Corinthians for comment on April 13.
Lima is not the only high-profile football figure accused of misconduct against women’s players.
Luis Rubiales was forced to step down as Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) boss last September after forcibly kissing Women’s World Cup star Jennifer Hermoso following Spain’s triumph in the Sydney final in August.
He is to go on trial over the non-consensual kiss, which under Spanish law can be classed as sexual assault.
Last week, a Spanish judge also summoned him to testify on April 29 over an alleged graft scandal at the RFEF when he was president.
It is part of a probe into federation contracts since 2018, including one signed by Rubiales to take the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.
The Super Cup deal is worth €40 million (S$58 million) a year with the contract brokered by Kosmos, a company owned by former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Pique. REUTERS, AFP
