Athletico forward Kevin Viveros has been charged with assault by the Superior Sports Court (STJD) prosecutors after he was sent off for stamping on Cuiabano during the defeat to Vasco in round 34 of the Brasileirão. If the disciplinary panel hands him the minimum sentence, the Colombian could miss the rest of the club’s remaining league fixtures.
The charge and possible sentence
The prosecutors have brought the case under article 254-A, which covers physical aggression and carries a ban of four to 12matches. The prosecution is asking for a six-match suspension, although the panel is not bound by that request when it sets the punishment. The hearing has not been officially dated yet, but it is expected to take place on Monday morning.
Viveros is already set to miss the trip to Flamengo at the Maracanã on 18 November, as he serves an automatic suspension. If he receives the minimum penalty, he would also be unavailable for the games against Remo, Mirassol and São Paulo. Athletico can appeal any ruling from the STJD.
What the referee wrote
Referee Ramon Abatti Abel described the incident as violent conduct in his match report, saying the striker stepped on his opponent’s stomach with his boot studs and used brutality while the ball was out of play.
Club punishment and coach’s reaction
Athletico has also fined the player internally, a move intended to stop a repeat and protect the team during the decisive closing stretch of the season. The news was first reported by journalist Monique Vilela of Rádio TMC and later confirmed by ge.
Coach Odair Hellmann said after the match that he would hold Viveros accountable. He stressed that the squad cannot afford to lose players at this stage, especially with the side already struggling and chasing a place in the Libertadores, and that the striker would face the same demands as everyone else.
A difficult spell
The sending-off came when Athletico were already trailing 3-1, in the 31st minute of the second half. Viveros tried to argue with the referee, but the appeal went nowhere.
The dismissal adds to a poor run for the 21-goal top scorer in the Brasileirão, who has now gone four matches without a goal. Athletico have also failed to win in four games. They sit fifth on 54 points, but Bahia could overtake them.
Source: ge.globo.com
