SAO PAULO -- Internacional defender Víctor Gabriel has been suspended from Brazilian soccer until Cruzeiro forward Gabriel Pec returns to training following recovery from a broken leg.
The sanction was handed down Tuesday by Brazil's Superior Court of Sports Justice, the country's highest independent body for sports discipline.
The court deemed a standard penalty insufficient given the severity of the incident. Pec suffered a left tibia fracture in a challenge from Víctor Gabriel in a league game on July 22.
While the court's suspension is capped at 180 days, it could end sooner if Pec is medically cleared to return to practice ahead of that time. The decision can be appealed.
Víctor Gabriel told the court he had no intention of causing injury to Pec, who played for LA Galaxy in the MLS before joining Cruzeiro for a club-record fee of at least $12 million during the World Cup break.
"I've had sleepless nights praying for him, and I offer a heartfelt apology to everyone at Cruzeiro," he said.
Víctor Gabriel was charged with violent play under Article 254 of the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice, and received the extended penalty under a provision that allows an offender's suspension to match the injured player's recovery time in cases of severe injury.
The ruling was not unanimous. One of the adjudicators, Rodrigo Steinmann Bayer, initially voted for a standard six-match suspension without the time-based extension.
However, court president Jorge Octavio Lavocat Galvão along with Eduardo Xible Salles Ramos and Aline Gonçalves Jatahy voted to enforce the lengthier penalty.
