The disciplinary ruling, announced on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, followed an incident during Santos’ 1-1 draw with Bahia in the Brazilian Serie A on Saturday.
The 34-year-old forward was sent off after the confrontation, with the tribunal ruling that his conduct violated the protocol commonly known as the “Vini Jr. rule”, which prohibits players from covering their mouths during on-field confrontations.
Why Neymar was suspended
The incident occurred during a heated exchange between Neymar and Nestor. Neymar covered his mouth with his hand while speaking to the Bahia midfielder, prompting a complaint to the referee and a subsequent disciplinary intervention.
According to the referee’s report, Neymar also ran towards Bahia’s bench after being sent off and had to be restrained by his teammates.
The protocol is associated with measures intended to address discriminatory abuse in football. It gained prominence following incidents involving Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, who has previously raised allegations of racist abuse during matches.
The STJD found Neymar guilty of violating the relevant protocol and imposed a two-match suspension for the offence.
Neymar faces three-match absence
The ruling means Neymar is expected to miss three Santos matches in total.
He was already due to miss the league fixture against Palmeiras on Wednesday because of a suspension arising from accumulated yellow cards. The two additional matches imposed by the tribunal relate to the mouth-covering incident.
The combined punishment is expected to keep the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward out of action until later in November.
Neymar and Santos retain the right to appeal the two-match disciplinary ruling.
Controversy adds to Santos’ concerns
The suspension represents another setback for Neymar as Santos approach the closing stages of their Brazilian league campaign.
The former Brazil captain remains an important figure for the club, but his absence leaves Santos without one of their most recognisable attacking players for a crucial run of fixtures.
The case also places renewed attention on how football authorities apply rules designed to prevent discriminatory conduct and improve accountability during confrontations between players.
While the tribunal has issued its decision, any appeal by Neymar or Santos could affect the subsequent disciplinary process.