SANTOS, BRAZIL – Santos icon Neymar Jr. has finally broken his silence following a wave of international criticism regarding sexist remarks he made about referee Savio Pereira Sampaio. The 34-year-old superstar found himself at the center of a heated gender-bias row after suggesting the official’s poor performance was due to being “on his period.”
The Vila Belmiro Incident
The controversy stems from Santos’ recent 2-0 victory over Remo. In the 85th minute, Neymar was shown a yellow card for protesting a heavy challenge. The booking triggered an automatic suspension, forcing the talisman to watch from the sidelines as Santos later slumped to a 3-1 defeat against Flamengo at the Maracana.
Post-match, a visible frustrated Neymar told reporters:
"I think he woke up in a bad mood (chico)... I just went to complain to him. I said, 'Are you crazy?' then got a yellow card."In Brazilian Portuguese, the slang term “chico” is a common reference to menstruation. The comment immediately drew fire from advocacy groups and fans alike for reinforcing misogynistic stereotypes that equate emotional volatility with women’s biological cycles.
“An Evolution in Thinking”
In a candid video posted to his official YouTube channel, Neymar addressed the fallout during a dinner with inner-circle friends and family. The forward attempted to de-escalate the situation, characterizing the remark as a linguistic misunderstanding rather than a personal prejudice.
“I said it in a lighthearted way,” Neymar explained in the video. “I meant that he was annoyed and didn’t want to talk much… I had no intention of offending any woman. The expression ‘chico’, I didn’t know it was short for that. I should have just said he was stressed.”
Internal Debate
The YouTube footage provided a rare glimpse into Neymar’s private life, showing that the “lesson” came from within his own camp. Bianca Coimbra, the wife of one of Neymar’s close friends, was filmed challenging the star’s logic at the dinner table.
“Historically, women get undermined when they’re going through their period,” Coimbra noted, explaining that such comments invalidate a woman’s professional decision-making.
Neymar admitted the dinner turned into an impromptu debate, stating, “Whenever media generate a controversy with my name, we discuss it… it is good for each one to open their minds a little more and understand the other.”
While the Brazilian veteran maintains the comment was a slip of the tongue, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the increasing scrutiny athletes face regarding inclusive language in the modern era.
