When Velasquez refused Santos a penalty for handling the ball, Pele shouted some words at him in Portuguese. Velasquez, who had just returned from a tournament wher he had taken charge of matches with a Brazilian team, had learned some Portuguese insults, understood what Pele said and sent him off. Immediately the Colombian ref was attacked by everyone Brazilian except Pele.
Earlier on Velasquez had also sent off another Santos player who then spat at him. Velasquez, formerly an amateur boxer, hit him.
Not Pele was expulsed, but Velsquez was. His linesman Omar Delgado took over.