“Colors Don’t Define Genders” – Abel Braga Backtracks After Controversial Comment

Abel Braga has publicly apologized after making an anti-gay joke about Internacional’s pink training vest during his unveiling as the club’s new head coach. The 73-year-old’s remarks triggered instant backlash and forced the veteran manager to issue a clarification within hours.

Braga returned to Internacional on Sunday for an astonishing eighth spell in charge, tasked with rescuing a team hovering above the Brazilian Série A drop zone. But instead of the focus being on the club’s fight for survival, attention swiftly shifted to a story off the pitch. When recalling a discussion with club director and former player Andrés D’Alessandro, Braga joked about the team’s pink bibs—an attempt at humor that quickly fell flat.

The coach signed a deal running through the 2025 Brazilian Championship, refusing a salary as part of the agreement—something he requested personally. The narrative should have been about a club legend returning unpaid to help save one of Brazil’s traditional powerhouses. Instead, his debut press conference hit a controversy that overshadowed the football.

Just hours later, Braga took to Instagram to issue an apology. He addressed supporters directly: “Internacional fans, I acknowledge that I didn’t make a good statement about the color pink during my press conference,” he wrote. “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!”

The incident landed at a delicate moment for the club. Internacional are currently stuck in the relegation zone, tied on points with Santos—the last team outside the bottom four—with just two league fixtures left. Relegation is a rarity for the Porto Alegre giants: in 116 years, they have only dropped to the second division once. Anxiety around the club was already sky-high. Braga’s return was meant to inject calm and experience. Instead, the coach began his tenure in damage-control mode.

There are layers to unpack here. First, the timing. Internazionale are fighting for their Série A lives. Any distraction, especially one rooted in discrimination, carries weight in modern football where clubs and leagues are increasingly vocal in campaigns against prejudice. Second, Braga is not an outsider. He is one of the most decorated and respected Brazilian coaches of his generation. His words resonate, for better or worse.

At the same time, his apology came swiftly and with a tone of responsibility. The line “colors don’t define genders” signals a recognition of changing cultural expectations in football—a sport traditionally slow to address inclusivity issues. But does the apology put the matter to bed, or will questions linger about leadership and tone in the dressing room?

For Internacional, the stakes are enormous. Avoiding relegation is the immediate goal. Yet Braga’s return is also about identity and stability at a club in upheaval. The controversy may fade, but the pressure doesn’t. Two matches remain. Survival is still possible. The real test will be whether Braga’s leadership—both on the pitch and in the public eye—helps steady a club that can’t afford another historic low.

The next ninety minutes, not the next headline, will determine whether Internacional’s crisis deepens or turns into a remarkable rescue act.