Neymar was sent off during Santos’ clash against Bahia in the Brazilian Serie A after covering his mouth during an altercation with an opposing player, resulting in the application of the regulation media-dubbed the “Vinícius Law.”
The incident occurred prior to the start of the second half of Saturday evening’s match at the Vila Belmiro Stadium, as part of the 32nd round, following tension that flared between the Brazilian star and Rodrigo Nestor during the first half.
Neymar had engaged in a clash with Nestor after being fouled and subsequently threw the ball toward him, sparking a scuffle between players from both sides that saw the Santos forward receive a yellow card, though the disagreement did not end there.
Upon returning to resume play, Neymar approached the Bahia player and spoke to him while covering his mouth with his hand. Nestor reported the incident to the referee, and following VAR intervention and review of the footage, referee Sávio Pereira Sampaio issued a direct red card.
The penalty relies on an amendment approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in April 2026, which allowed competitions to implement sending-offs for players covering their mouths while addressing an opponent in a provocative, insulting, or mocking manner/position, aimed at preventing the concealment of abuse during matches.
The amendment was linked to the controversy following the incident between Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni in the UEFA Champions League, when the Real Madrid star accused the Benfica player of abusing him while hiding his mouth. However, the application of the mouth-covering penalty alone does not prove racial abuse took place in Neymar’s case.
Commenting on his clash with the Santos forward, Nestor said: “That was a lack of respect toward me and the Bahia shirt.” The dismissal infuriated Neymar, who attempted to approach his opponent again before teammates restrained him; he later acknowledged his mistake while accusing Nestor of overreacting.
Despite playing out the remainder of the match with ten men, Santos managed to salvage a 1-1 draw; Luciano Juba had put Bahia ahead before Luan Peres rescued the hosts with an equalizer in the third minute of stoppage time.
