SAO PAULO – Four players from Argentina's River Plate women’s team were arrested by São Paulo police and accused of making racial slurs during a Brazil Ladies Cup semifinal match against Brazilian team Grêmio. The São Paulo public security secretariat confirmed the arrests on Saturday.

The incident occurred on Friday when River Plate player Candela Díaz was accused of making monkey gestures toward a ball boy, an act captured on broadcast footage and widely reported by local media. The match was halted in the first half as tensions escalated. Díaz, along with teammates Juana Cangaro, Milagros Naiquen Díaz, and Camila Ayelen Duarte, were detained and remained in custody as of Saturday, according to their lawyer, Thais Sankari.

Following Díaz’s alleged gestures, Grêmio players walked off the field in protest. An on-field altercation ensued, leading the referee to issue red cards to six River Plate players. With River Plate unable to meet the minimum number of players required to continue, the referee awarded the match to Grêmio, who will play in the tournament final on Sunday. The score was tied 1-1 at the time of the incident.

Grêmio coach Thaissan Passos revealed that her players reported being called “monkeys” by River Plate players earlier in the match. “Incidents like this cannot keep happening. How long will we keep pretending racism doesn’t exist?” she told local broadcaster SporTV.

River Plate condemned the discriminatory gestures in a statement, emphasizing their commitment to eradicating such behavior and taking disciplinary measures. However, their lawyer, Sankari, argued the players had reacted after being provoked, describing the decision to arrest them as arbitrary and a means for the judiciary to "send a message."

The Brazil Ladies Cup organizers banned River Plate from the tournament for two years. In a statement, they reaffirmed their zero-tolerance stance on racism, promising immediate disqualification for teams involved in similar incidents in future editions.

Grêmio expressed solidarity with their players and announced plans to file a police report. “We regret what happened and condemn any discriminatory acts,” the team said on social media platform X.

This incident marks another stark reminder of the challenges soccer continues to face in combating racism, both on and off the field.

Four River Plate Players Arrested Over Alleged Racist Incident in Brazil Ladies Cup

Barcelona Faces Deadline to Resolve Dani Olmo Registration Amid Financial Challenges