Brazilian top-flight coach apologises for using homophobic slur in press conference

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Abel Braga made the homophobic remark in his first press conference after coming out of retirement

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A 73-year-old football coach, who emerged from retirement to spearhead a top-flight Brazilian team's fight against relegation, was forced to issue an apology for homophobic remarks just hours after his appointment.

Abel Braga was unveiled on Sunday as the new coach of Internacional, a club teetering on the brink of relegation with only two matches remaining in the season.

However, his inaugural press conference in Porto Alegre quickly descended into controversy when he recounted a conversation about training attire.

"I said, 'I don't want my freaking team training in pink shirts, it looks like a team of f******,'" Braga stated, recalling his discussion with sporting director Andres D'Alessandro.

When later pressed on the offensive slur, the coach claimed it was uttered "in a light-hearted tone" as part of his efforts to motivate his struggling squad.

"I had to relax my group today, you understand. I want the guys to be strong," he explained, suggesting his intention was to alleviate dressing room tension.

Facing a swift backlash across social media platforms, Braga felt compelled to address the controversy on Instagram before the day concluded.

"I recognise that I did not make a good comment about the colour pink during my press conference. Before this spreads, I apologise. Colours do not define genders. What defines them is character," he wrote.

Neither Internacional nor the Brazilian football federation have yet issued a comment on the incident.

Internacional, currently fourth from bottom on 41 points, must secure victories in their final two fixtures against Sao Paulo and Bragantino to avoid relegation.

Braga, a club legend who famously led them to Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental titles in 2006, took on the role without pay, with his contract covering only these crucial remaining matches.

He had been retired from coaching for three years prior to this unexpected return.

The incident follows a precedent in 2024, where manager Helio dos Anjos received a nine-game suspension and a 20,000 reais (£3,100) fine for homophobic slurs against a referee in Brazil's second division.

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