A fine of over three million dollars against Brazilian star Neymar for 'polluting' the environment during the construction of an artificial lake on his property has been cancelled by a judicial decision seen by AFP on Tuesday. Municipal authorities in Mangaratiba, a coastal city 130 km from Rio, had imposed the fine in July 2023. The former Paris Saint-Germain star owns a villa in the area. The 32-year-old forward was accused of 'polluting' the waters by discharging construction debris into the sea. Among the 'dozens of violations' recorded by the authorities were 'carrying out works subject to environmental control without a license', and drawing and diverting river water without permission, and 'removing soil and uprooting plants without a permit'. However, the court in Rio de Janeiro state ruled to 'cancel' the fine due to flaws in the investigation, which had been temporarily suspended in 2024. The judge explained that the accusations were based solely on 'photographs and videos sent' in October 2019 'via an anonymous complaint'. Neymar's defence team submitted a technical report stating that the quality of water in the area, during the period when the debris was supposedly discharged, remained within acceptable limits. 'The investigation was opened due to the huge media hype surrounding the case, only because it involves a world-famous athlete,' the statement said. Neymar, all-time top scorer for the Seleção (79 goals in 128 internationals), returned to his boyhood club Santos last season, but his recurring injuries have severely affected his form, preventing five-time world champion coach Carlo Ancelotti from calling him up. The player still hopes to participate in the 2026 World Cup (June 11-July 19), despite not having played for the national team since October 2023.