File photo: Brazil's Marta (REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson)
Brazil has appealed FIFA's decision to suspend Marta for two matches after her red card in the group stage of the women's soccer tournament at the Paris Olympics.
Brazil is set to face World Cup champion Spain in a semifinal match at Marseille on Tuesday.
Marta sat out Brazil's 1-0 quarterfinal victory over host France after she received a red card in her team's group-stage finale against Spain for a foul on Olga Carmona.
The red card was an emotional blow to Marta, the team captain and a six-time world player of the year who has said this is her final international tournament with the team.
FIFA's disciplinary committee later determined the foul merited a two-match suspension. The Brazilian soccer federation announced late Sunday it was appealing the decision.
"Marta has an impeccable record of respecting the rules of the sport and fair play, being a world reference in the sport for several generations for everything she has achieved on and off the field," the federation said in a statement.
The appeal on behalf of Marta looked likely to fail as FIFA’s own disciplinary rules state that appeals are not admissible for two-game bans.
The 38-year-old Marta is playing in her sixth Olympics. She watched Brazil's quarterfinal victory cheering from the stands.
Even if Brazil loses to Spain in the semifinals, Marta will still have a chance to play in the bronze medal match set for Friday in Lyon. A Brazilian victory Tuesday will send the team to the gold medal game in Paris on Saturday.
Brazil has a pair of silver medals in Olympic women's soccer, most recently in 2008.
Spain defeated Brazil 2-0 in the group stage. The Spanish, playing in their first Olympics, were vying to become the first team to win a gold medal after winning a Women's World Cup.
