OLYMPIC GAMES | SOCCER
Why isn’t Marta playing for Brazil against Spain in the women’s soccer semifinal at the 2024 Olympics?
With a gold medal game in sight, the Brazilian Football Confederation was desperate to have one of its star players in the line-up on Tuesday.
The legend Marta Vieira, now 38 years old, will not be in the semifinal of the 2024 Olympic Games, where the Brazilian team will face Spain in Marseille on Tuesday.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has rejected the appeal filed by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), which had previously approached FIFA, and Brazil’s number 10 will have to serve her second match suspension. She will return for the game in which her team competes for the medals, whether for bronze on Friday or for gold on Saturday at the Parc des Princes in Paris against Team USA.
The CBF’s legal department filed an appeal with the CAS on Monday to allow Marta to play on Tuesday against La Roja, the team against which she was sent off on the 31st for a dangerous tackle on Olga Carmona. However, the sports tribunal ultimately denied the request, and the player, a two-time Olympic silver medalist, remains out of the match.
Stars missing for Brazil against World Champions
Marta’s absence is not the only problem for Brazilian coach Arthur Elias, who had already lost Real Madrid defender Antonia Silva due to a fibula fracture suffered against the Spanish team. Also missing from the match are captain Tamires, along with Rafaelle and Taina.
On the Spanish side, Alba Redondo, a reserve but included in the squad for the previous two matches, has been left out, and Oihane Hernández has returned.