The death of three-year-old Heloise in Imbaú, Paraná, has highlighted recurring safety problems involving football goalposts in Brazil. The child was killed when an unsecured goalpost fell on her during a community Children’s Day celebration.

Heloise’s mother, Casturina da Silva, said she was holding the girl’s hand and taking her to a car when the structure fell. The family remains unable to understand how the goalpost collapsed. Casturina said children still play at the site and warned that another accident could happen if the problem is not addressed.

A survey presented by Fantástico identified at least 107 accidents involving goalposts across Brazil in the past two decades. The incidents resulted in 61 deaths and 34 injuries, with more than 90% of the victims aged up to 12.

Two other children in Paraná died in similar incidents. A seven-year-old boy was killed in February when a goalpost fell on his head in Marquinho. Two months later, Sofia Aparecida died after a structure fell in a sports court in Prudentópolis.

In Peruíbe, on the coast of São Paulo, 12-year-old Victor Hugo suffered severe injuries when a goalpost fell on him while he was playing goalkeeper. He was intubated and placed in an induced coma after suffering seven seizures. His mother, Joice Fernandes, said he continues to receive care because of lasting problems in his arm and other consequences of the accident.

Victor’s family won a lawsuit against the city government over negligence, but five years after the incident they were still waiting for compensation through the municipality’s court-ordered payment system. Lawyer Selma Santos said the accident could have been avoided if the goalpost had been properly anchored.

Brazil has no specific mandatory national standard governing the installation of football goalposts. Requirements vary by state. Santa Catarina has no bill on the issue, while discussions in Paraná have stalled.

In Rio Grande do Sul, a state law requires goalposts in public and private spaces to have at least two anchoring points and undergo regular inspections. Known as the Marina Fallavena Law, it was named after an 11-year-old girl who died when a poorly secured goalpost fell on her. The law provides for fines and, in cases of repeat violations, the loss of authorization to operate commercial activities.

Parks, clubs, condominiums, squares, schools and football academies were given 18 months to comply with the rules. Inspections require a technical report confirming that the installation is safe. According to Luana Frasson, a director at the state’s Public Works Department, the cost of anchoring depends on the site and the soil but does not exceed 500 Brazilian reais.

Moacyr Duarte, a risk-management specialist at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, said children hanging or swinging from goalposts should be treated as predictable behavior when equipment safety is assessed. Properly anchored structures, he said, should withstand the weight and force of children aged up to 12.

He also explained that the angle of a falling goalpost affects the severity of the impact. Once the structure passes an inclination of 45 degrees, its acceleration increases and the resulting impact can become more violent.

Maintenance is another concern. At the square where Victor was injured, equipment has been affected by corrosion linked to sea air, use and vandalism. In Imbaú, the goalpost that killed Heloise was put back upright and installed directly in the soil, which can soften after rain.

The owner of the field in Imbaú declined a recorded interview but told the production by telephone that the event had been held there for three years. He attributed the collapse to heavy rain and strong winds, which he said may have loosened the clips holding the structure to the ground. In Peruíbe, the city government said it replaced the rusted goalpost involved in Victor’s accident.

Following the repeated incidents, federal lawmaker Danrlei, a former Grêmio goalkeeper, presented a national bill to regulate the anchoring of goalposts in public and private spaces. The proposal seeks to establish safety requirements for their installation and prevent further accidents.

Sources: G1.