The 18-year-old native of Sao Paulo revealed the way she was treated by the club through her social networks. She mentions that she was subjected to an “illegal” confinement by the medical services, arguing an alleged close contact with a positive case for covid-19. “Since the doctor’s order was contrary to health protocol, I contacted the Catalan Health Department directly and asked for clarification. The answer was clear and forceful“said the player.
“I received indications that playing with Brazil would not be the best for my future at the club (…) They were cornering me in an abusive way to resign“, details Gio Queiroz in the letter published on social networks.
I received indications that playing for Brazil would not be the best for my future at the club
For this reason, the striker did not join her teammates in the final of the Copa de la Reina, although after the quarantine she traveled with the national team to the United States. According to Queiroz, she later spoke with “the director of the club” and affirms that it was “accused of having committed serious indiscipline and that, therefore, she would be removed from the team and would suffer great consequences“.
Through the letter, the Brazilian soccer player points out that “the culture of harassment and sexist violence against women cannot be accepted or tolerated.” She arrived in Barcelona at the age of 17, and stated that she felt “unprotected” and lived “humiliating and embarrassing situations” for several months within the club.
“The fact of being a minor does not seem to have been an impediment, a moral dilemma for my aggressor. He certainly acted with the feeling of impunity, that he had the protection of his position within FC Barcelona“, he added in the statement.
Queiroz expressed that Barça “is not directly responsible for the reported abusive behavior”, which is why he made the letter addressed to the president public Joan Laporta. “Today I want to take the first step to fully recover my freedom and emotional stability.“, adds the player, who hopes that the entity will act in a “consistent and transparent” manner and investigate and act concretely for possible crimes to the relevant authorities.