Brazilian player knocked unconscious by police
Brian Homewood
A footballer was knocked unconscious when a policeman whacked him on the head with a truncheon as players protested over a goal during a Brazilian championship match on Wednesday.
Television pictures showed Santos defender Preto lying on the ground unconscious with a deep cut near his ear following the incident during his team's 2-1 defeat away to Paysandu in Belem, near the mouth of the Amazon river.
Coach Emerson Leao was also shown having a substance sprayed in his face by an officer using a small aerosol can as his furious Santos team confronted riot police after the attack on Preto.
Santos players threatened to walk off the pitch but finally completed the match after a half hour delay.
The visitors had already made three substitutions before Preto's injury and completed the game with nine men as midfielder Diego had been sent off earlier.
"This isn't a game, it's a war," said a red-eyed Leao, who coached Brazil between 2000 and 2001.
"They're incompetent. This is why nobody trusts the police any more."
PLASTIC SHIELDS
The trouble was sparked after Paysandu went 2-1 ahead in the 87th minute when striker Vandick scored from what Santos complained was an offside position.
Several Santos players ran to the linesman to protest, prompting riot police equipped with truncheons and plastic shields to come across to protect the official.
As the arguments continued, television pictures showed one of the policemen striking Preto on the head from behind with a powerful blow, knocking the big defender to the ground.
While Preto was taken to hospital, the rest of the Santos team -- with Leao at the helm -- insulted the police and aimed kung-fu style kicks at their shields.
A police commander told Brazilian television: "Maybe there were some excesses. It will be investigated."
A Santos spokesman said later that Preto had undergone tests and was not seriously injured.
Television replays clearly showed that the Paysandu goal was legitimate.
Paysandu, fighting relegation, went ahead through Ze Augusto in the 11th minute but Elano equalised four minutes later.
Diego, 17, was sent off after 38 minutes for kicking an opponent in the shoulder after the pair tangled.
Santos, who have set the championship alight with their flowing, attacking football, crashed to their third successive defeat.
They stayed fifth in the championship, in which the top eight teams qualify for the quarter-finals, while Paysandu moved out of the relegation zone.
Veteran striker Romario grabbed both Fluminense's goals in their 2-2 draw at home to Goias while Corinthians and Palmeiras produced the same scoreline in their Sao Paulo derby.
Corinthians stayed third and Palmeiras dropped back to the bottom. Sao Paulo, who did not play, remained top but their lead was cut to one point as Sao Caetano drew 1-1 with Cruzeiro.
