Brazilian football has seen a recent rash troubling and violent incidents. Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images
The match in Brazil on April 10 between Desportivo Ferroviaria and Nova Venecia was not supposed to be a major national event. It was in the quarterfinals of the championship of the state of Espirito Santo, not seen as one of the hotbeds of the Brazilian game.
But, thankfully, the game was sufficiently important to count on the presence of TV cameras. Because what happened at halftime ended up being seen all over the world. Ferroviaria coach Rafael Soriano was outraged by the officiating. He stormed on to the field to remonstrate with the referee and his assistants. Tempers flared with Marcielly Netto, a female assistant, and Soriano clearly gave her a head butt. It was an outrageous display of aggression — which Soriano immediately denied. If he was accused of a headbutt, he raged, the matter should be discussed to the police. He threatened to sue Netto, adding that she was trying to take advantage of being a woman, and other such incoherent nonsense. But there was no arguing with the TV images. Ferroviaria sacked him, and he faces a long suspension.
Soriano apologised for his actions. But the question remains; how could he have lost control of himself to the extent of such delinquency? Football is a game of emotions — in the wise words of sociologist Rogan Taylor, it is like strong beer — some people just can’t take it. But what is — or should be — of concern to the Brazilian game, is that this lamentable incident can be seen as part of a wider pattern of uncontrolled anger.
A few days before the incident involving Soriano, football did in fact become a police matter when Corinthians goalkeeper Cassio made a formal complaint about death threats he and his wife had received on social media. Cassio is a Corinthians legend. He was man of the match nearly ten years ago when the club beat Chelsea to become Club World Cup champions. But even that did not save…
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