Abel Braga Apologizes for Inappropriate Remark Regarding Team Colors

Abel Braga, the head coach of the Brazilian club Internacional, has publicly apologized for an anti-gay remark he made regarding the team’s pink training vests.

During his unveiling on Sunday, following his return to manage Internacional in their fight against relegation, Braga, 73, shared a conversation with club director Andres D’Alessandro, which included a joking comment about the vests’ color.

Braga, who has signed a contract with the club until the conclusion of the 2025 Brazilian championship without remuneration—following his own request—issued an apology on Instagram just hours later. He stated: “Fans of Internacional, first of all, I acknowledge that I didn’t make a good statement about the color pink during my press conference.

“Before this spreads, I apologize. Colors don’t define genders. What defines is character. Internacional needs peace and a lot of hard work. Come on, Inter!”

Internacional currently finds itself in the relegation zone, tied on points with Santos, who are just above the safety line with two matches remaining. Notably, the Porto Alegre-based club has only been relegated once throughout its 116-year history.