A Brazilian second division club, Grêmio Anápolis, on Thursday condemned the “criminal act” in which its goalkeeper was intentionally hit by a rubber bullet fired by a member of the military police during a post-match altercation.
Following the 2-1 victory of the Centro Oeste, military police intervened to stop a fight on the field between players from both teams after the final whistle of Wednesday's match in the second division of the state of Goiás.
Video cameras captured images of a military policeman pointing his gun at Grêmio Anápolis goalkeeper Ramón Souza before firing a rubber bullet at the player's leg.
The officer pointed the gun at Souza again, who limped away. Souza received medical attention on the field from his club's team doctor for excessive bleeding.
He was taken off the pitch on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to a medical centre.
The club said in a statement: “Gremio Anápolis publicly repudiates the regrettable, ridiculous and repugnant event that occurred at the Jonas Duarte Stadium on Wednesday night. At the end of the match, our goalkeeper Ramón Souza was cowardly hit by a rubber bullet fired by a police officer from the Specialized Police Company (CPE).
“A horrible, unbelievable and criminal act by someone who should be concerned about the safety and integrity of the people who were there at the Jonas Duarte Stadium.
“GEA (Grêmio Anápolis) informs that it will take appropriate measures to ensure that the person responsible is punished and justice is done, so that this CRIMINAL act does not go unpunished.”
Military police confirmed it had opened an investigation into the incident and said in a statement that it “does not condone any misconduct committed by its members.”
