Source:REUTERS/ Thiago Bernardes
[Saba Sports News] During the Brazilian Serie A match where Santos beat Remo 2-0, Neymar was pushed and then kicked to the ground by an opponent within 10 seconds, lost his temper and received a yellow card. After the game, Neymar’s angry remarks toward the referee went viral, and he was accused of using misogynistic language. Neymar questioned the yellow card and expressed dissatisfaction with the decisions made by referee Savio Pereira Sampaio. He stated: “This card was unfair. Late in the game, I was the victim of a malicious tackle that was completely unnecessary. It was the third or fourth time already. I complained, but I got a yellow card instead. That’s just how Savio is. I feel he woke up in an irritable mood like being on a menstrual period today and refereed the game in that state. You simply can’t communicate with him. He ignores players and even turns his back directly on them.”
The editor believes that description of the referee waking up like a “chico” derives from the Portuguese word chiqueiro, which is a synonym for “pig” and also means “pigsty”. The term reflects the outdated association of menstruation with filth and impurity, making the expression sexist and misogynistic. Even if Neymar used the word unintentionally, it reinforces the idea that menstruation is something unpleasant, rather than simply a natural biological process.