The international federation did not let the statements of the Brazilian beach volleyball player go unpunished after winning the bronze medal at the World Championships in Australia and punished her for the start of the 2026 World Tour.
Brazilian beach volleyball player Carolina Solberg was suspended by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) for “unsportsmanlike conduct” for celebrating the arrest of former president Jair Bolsonaro. The sanction prevents the veteran volleyball player, 38, from participating in the first stage of the 2026 World Tour, which takes place in March in João Pessoa, Brazil.
The information, reported by journalist Juca Kfouri of UOL, was confirmed by the athlete’s team, which, however, chose not to comment on the FIVB’s decision.
The incident occurred on November 23 of last year, during the World Championships in Australia. After winning the bronze medal alongside her partner, Rebecca Cavalcante Silva, Carol Solberg expressed her satisfaction with Bolsonaro’s arrest, which occurred the previous day. The victory secured the newly formed duo the top spot in the world beach volleyball ranking.
In statements to the tournament organizers, still on the beach, the player declared: “This is an incredible day for me. I’m very happy. And it’s also an incredible day for the world. Yesterday, in Brazil, we put the worst president in Brazilian history in prison. Bolsonaro is in prison and it’s very important that we celebrate. I’m very proud to have this flag now. I could never have believed that we would have a president like this. So it’s something we have to celebrate.”
To justify the suspension, the FIVB invoked Article 8.3 of its Disciplinary Regulations. This article classifies as “unsportsmanlike conduct” the use of insults, gestures, signs or offensive language, as well as any behavior that may discredit the sport or the federation itself.
As a consequence of the punishment, Carol Solberg will miss the Beach Pro Tour Elite 16, scheduled for March 11-15 in João Pessoa, Paraíba. To date, neither the FIVB nor the Brazilian Volleyball Confederation (CBV) have officially commented on the case.
