STJ issues rulings on Bruno Henrique fraud case and referee image rights

The Superior Tribunal de Justiça (STJ) has issued two significant rulings involving sports-related legal disputes in Brazil.

In a case involving Flamengo striker Bruno Henrique, Minister Joel Ilan Paciornik annulled a decision by the Tribunal de Justiça do Distrito Federal (TJDFT). The STJ ordered a re-evaluation of a defense appeal regarding charges of fraud and embezzlement related to suspected sports betting manipulation. The core of the debate is whether betting companies provided formal legal representation within the required timeframe, as the defense argues that initial communications were made to private monitoring entities rather than judicial authorities.

In a separate matter, the STJ's Third Chamber unanimously denied an indemnity claim filed by football referee Luiz Carlos Silva Teixeira against Sky. The referee alleged that the broadcaster exploited his image by displaying its brand on official referee uniforms via a contract with the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF). The court ruled that the mere display of a sponsor's brand on a uniform does not constitute a violation of image rights, noting that Sky did not use the referee's individual likeness in specific advertising campaigns.