Dunga requested Brazil not appeal Neymar´s suspension

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has claimed national team coach Dunga asked them not to appeal Neymar’s suspension at the 2015 Copa America.

Neymar was handed a four-match ban for his involvement in a melee at the end of Brazil’s group-stage clash with Colombia, and although CBF initially looked to appeal, they eventually accepted the penalty.

According to CBF general secretary Walter Feldman, Dunga told the national governing body that “it was best” Neymar withdrew from the tournament.

“These are difficult moments in which you have to make a firm decision and only time will tell if you made the right one or not,” Feldman told Esporte Espetacular on Sunday.

“The coaching staff didn’t hesitate in asking us not to appeal against the punishment because it would be better if Neymar were to leave.”

Brazil were eventually eliminated in the quarter-finals by Paraguay, meaning Neymar still has two games left of his suspension to serve in World Cup qualifying.

But Feldman hopes CBF can convince South America’s football governing body CONMEBOL to allow the Barcelona forward to serve the penalty in the next Copa America.

“At this stage, we haven’t got a lot of options open to us regarding an appeal but independently of the outcome, we have the right to request that the remainder of the sanction can be postponed,” he said.