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9 May 2008
Pinto da Costa banned for two years; Boavista relegated; heavy fines
Give your opinion
Your say on the scandal that has rocked Portuguese football
Portuguese football is in the headlines all over the world as corruption charges have been upheld against a number of the leading clubs and figures in the country.
PortuGOAL wants to hear your opinion about the verdicts, the justice (or not) of the punishments and the implications for football in Portugal. To give your opinion use the form at the bottom of this page.
Click here for full list of the corruptoion sentences and punishments
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17/05/2008 16:52
To PSousaNJ, I think you should read my post again as I did not mention anything about Celtic. Although I did watch that game and thought the overacting of Baia was a bit over the top. However, I agree with you about Porto, they have a great structure in place and I really do wish that Benfica could get thier act together. I have been to many Benfica v Sporting games and have enjoyed them. I like the rivalry between clubs, except when it becomes really stupid. Going back to Porto. Porto have been found guilty of corruption. They have had 6 points deducted from this season...how is that a punishment? How is that justice? If the Portuguese game is to get clean, then it would be right that the 6 points should be deducted from the next season. If Porto are found in breach of UEFA regulations then they should not be allowed into the Champions League next season...now that would set an example to other clubs not to cheat!
17/05/2008 14:03
Your Costanza comparison is also appropriate because he worked for the NY Yankees, and as far as Portuguese soccer goes, Benfica are the Yankees. No team will ever replace them as the nation's team. The good news is that they will always have the resources and support to win, the bad news is that such high profile teams seem to attract owners/presidents who are more interested in feeding their ego then absorbing the daily grind that is required to build a winner.
16/05/2008 05:05
I must say the one thing that drives me crazy as a SLB fan is that ours presidents remind me of the old George Castanza episode on Seinfeld where George realizes that every decision he has made in life is wrong and he starts to do the opposite of what he would normally do.
Let us count the ways that these nitwits have destroyed our great team:
Building the old stadium that held over 100,000
Removing Mourinho as coach
Never developing a decent youth system
Never embraching technology
Never knowning how to market the team
Selling players like SS and MF
Never having a vision for the team and giving a coach an opportunity to develop it
Going after second rate foreign players
It goes on and on......
Say what you will about PDC but he is much smarter than any of the clowns that we have in charge in 30 years.
14/05/2008 20:18
Rui - It was a joke. But the sad thing is it also perfectly sums up how a lot of people feel.
14/05/2008 19:12
To Duncan im a Sporting fan but i have to say any little but of passion n rivalry thats shown in portuguese football is ok with me lets not all be pussies now.....I also have to say that Porto run their organisation the right way....they limit the amount of insignificant sports they play besides football they scout well install huge buyouts in contracts and sell high....thats why they do well....while benfica is the opposite end of the spectrum by not scouting very well, overpaying for players, selling their own talent at the wrong times therefore not getting what they should, not paying their players, etc...and sadly i must say sporting arent much better our buggesr mistaes being not putting huge buyout clauses on young studs and holding on to them until they develop somewhat and having to spend to much of the clubs money on insignificant sports that dont bring in the profit a football team does especially a succesful one....imagine sportings team right now had they held on to some key players (quaresma ronaldo n nanu to start)...As for the Celtic game stop whinning i watched that game and you were overmatched all over the pitch
14/05/2008 04:29
Rick, that was a joke!
I agree with you that FCP have over the last 20 years been the best, most consistent and smartest team in Portugal. (Boy, that really hurts to type!) However, I believe that when something is criminal, it is criminal. It makes no difference if it is SLB, SCP or FCP.
14/05/2008 00:11
"The cynical play, the lack of sportmanship and the corruption make most of us sick. (Unless it's for my team!!!!) "
The above quote is my point. I'm just laughing at the reactions of people who are obviously frustrated that their teams have been struggling to keep up with Porto. Now people want to pretend that the only reason that Porto has been successful is because of this case. That is ridiculous. Look at transfer policy, scouting, and the reinvestment of money back in to the club. Are we to assume the powers that be in Lisbon are saints? Would you be shocked to find out that this "case" was cooked up by some pissed off Benfica or Sporting fans?It is not fair to compare this case to Juventus. The record of corruption against their former president Moggi goes much further and deeper than what has been presented publicly (so far) in Apito Dourado. Boavista was punished more severely because they committed more severe crimes.
13/05/2008 04:14
So Rick what you are saying is corruption is okay because everyone is corrupt? Listen, my old man went to the 4th grade in the Azores but he told me that there is a wrong and a right. Once you start bending those rules where does it stop?
I do NOT defend corruption by SLB or FC Porco. If FPF had any huevos they would have done what was done in Italy. This is a true reflection of Portuguese society. Even if we have come a long way since '74 we still have a long way to go.
Perhaps this is the reason why people do not go to games in Portugal. The cynical play, the lack of sportmanship and the corruption make most of us sick. (Unless it's for my team!!!!)
12/05/2008 22:09
Blah, blah, blah. If Pinto da Costa were the president of Benfica, your stadium would be named Estadio da Costa and there would be a shiny statue out front. They win 14 out of 20 and that is evidence of corruption? What does that then say about Benfica's dominance during the years of Salazar and Eusebio's indentured servitude. Is Portuguese football corrupt? Absolutely. But I think Pinto is not the only criminal, just the smartest.
12/05/2008 14:26
What a joke! Found guilty of corruption and the penalty is a reduction of 6 points?? ^ points off a team who have clinced the campionship by 12 points.
If not for the fact that this has been going on for years, and they waited until there was enough of a point difference so that they could be charged without feeling the effects of the 6 point loss, this would be a different story. But 2 years waiting for this? Come on. Looks like the corruption in Portutugese soccer has now fully admited to the world that we are noting but joke!.
Italy had the guts to relegate some of their best teams (Juve, etc...) In portugal however we lack the courage to do the same and show the world that our league may be small but we uphold the same standards as the bigger leagues of the world.
The punishments do not fit the crime, and the corruption in Portuguese soccer continues, going right to the tribunels.
What is it going to take to set things right in Portugal? This can not continue. It's not even as if they try to hide it any more. Decisions like these almost antagonize people, almost as if to say "ya we're corrupt, and there is nothing you can do about it".
It's a sad sad day to be a Portuguese Soccer Fan.
11/05/2008 21:46
Coming from Scotland I find this quite interesting. We always have an undercurrent of suspicion regarding referees here, and just this weekend there was controversy in the Rangers v Dundee United match where the Dundee Utd manager said that because of the referee, there was no way his team could win the game. So we have these concerns in Scotland also.
I dont think Porto needed help to beat Celtic in 2003 (Im a Celtic fan also) and I realise this only affects Portuguese League matches, but I wonder sometimes if similar corruption exists in my country also. Hopefully you can sort it out in Portugal.
11/05/2008 20:07
First, Tim get a life! I'm a SLB fan and I HATE FC Porto with a passion but the idea that FCP needed help in defeating Celtic is ridiculous. FCP was a better team at every position. Sorry but Celtic were just beaten by a better team.
Second, eveyone knows about the corruption in Portugal. (And I ain't just talking about soccer!) I just wish that FPF had the balls to do the right thing.
11/05/2008 10:40
I think that justice was not served at all. Taking 6 points off porto is going to do nothing. They tried to cheat and their not going to learn a thing about this whole. They will probably do it again because they wont really be punished severely. Do the portuguese fa know how bad cheating is. They shouldn't be stripped off the points from the two games they should be stripped off more because no matter how many times you cheat it is completely unfair to do so and their should be a major punishment. The portuguese fa treated it as if it wasn't that big of a deal. In every type of sport you are told to play hard and fair. Porto have completely ignored and insulted all that and just to make it even worse they are the champions. For Da Costa he should be banned for ever because he has corrupted a huge football league
11/05/2008 05:40
Absolutely ridiculous!!! The league is afraid of losing revenue, so they deduct a meaningless 6pts. Clearly, Porto have been cheating for much longer. Despite having some good squads...Porto have clearly been dominant as a result of fixing many games. Their record under Pinto DaCosta clearly indicates that he has been, as many have suspected, corrupt for many years. Likely for the past number of years since Porto began its dominance, or should I say corruptness, has portuguese soccer become a joke. It has nothing to do with jealousy from other clubs, i.e.-Benfica, Sporting, but rather with keeping the playing field level. How can other clubs in Portuguese soccer ever compete if Porto (champions 14 times out of 20 past years-since 1988)have been corrupt. Ironically, since the time of Pinto DaCosta's reign. Fans who think this is the only incident of corruption are kidding themselves, accusations against Benfica and Sporting are only Porto's way of keeping the heat off themselves. Moreover, they likely cheated in European club competitions as well, but just not so obviously for fear of being caught by the more competent UEFA committee. As for the punishment, relegation would have been the best decision, although clearly it was avoided to assist the league financially. A ban from the UEFA trophies would also have been more appropriate, along with a lifetime ban for Pinto Da Costa. Gauranteed no championships any time soon, even without any proper punishments.
10/05/2008 23:32
Some of you seem to be taking away credit now for their victories out of Portugal. As for as I know those Victories were Genuine. Probably a relegation would be to harsh for Porto, but I would of liked them to have their CL spot/UEFA cuup spot next year taken away. That would of been a more suitable deal. Clearly thw FA is biased here.
10/05/2008 22:21
Celtic fans were accused of paranoia when they suggested the referee in the 2003 UEFA Cup final was biased. Anyone who watched that game and the cheating and diving that Porto got away with would now be justified in suspecting that the UEFA cup final of 2003 was rigged.
10/05/2008 18:05
FC Porto can eat ratty hay for all I care.
Benfica have a gammy eye, and Boavista are just GIRLFRIEND.
10/05/2008 13:15
Living in Lisbon for nearly 14 years and watching Portuguese football I can't believe that justice has been done at all. 6 meaningless points deducted at this point of the season. Porto should have these points deducted at the begining of the next season, this would then serve as a punishment. I belive that Mr Pinta da Costa has been a bad advertisment for Portuguese football. His constant rants against Benfica, and to a lesser extent Sporting, reveal his unsportsman like attitude. It comes as no surprise that he has been caught 'buying' the referees. How many more instances are there that we don't know about? How many of thier championships have been bought? May be now we can start to clean up the game.
10/05/2008 12:46
Justice was not served. Porto were clearly tampering and influencing results and if Pinto da Costa was guilty of these crimes, it begs the question, what else has his hand been in the cookie jar for? The president and club both go down because he was influencing results for his club and they benefited from it.
Some here still believe Porto are a dominate team? Well, you know how they achieved it. It's much easier to focus on a Uefa Cup and Champions League crown when you know that everything is well taken care of back home. Add the necessary breaks that a team needs to win a European trophy and presto, a dynasty is born.
Porto fans can't cry because they were caught and then look at Sporting and Benfica and claim that they were also corrupt. That's a cop out, do you have any proof? No, I didn't think so. Porto were not the only team found of corruption, so were Boavista and Leiria. I'm glad that something has been done, but more should have been dished out to the ring leaders FC Porto and their president. None of these clubs have any credibility. Maybe now we'll see a bettr game in Portugal and fans show up to the stadiums once again, despite who's playing, knowing that some of the bullshit has been washed away.
10/05/2008 12:38
You have to wonder how this will affect Boavista not only for next season but in the long term given their financial prediciment.
I think Porto should've been docked points from the start of next season, taking points from them at this stage is laughable.
10/05/2008 10:22
@ Jamakukula - Attempting to cheat is the exact same INTENT as cheating. The punishment should be the same for both. How successful they were in their cheating depended on others from outside the club, the club tried their best to cheat.
@ Zulu - Your logic is scary. You are effectively saying that because Porto are as big and as good as they are, they couldn't be relegated because results would suffer for 1 season. So this means Porto can do whatever they want with immunity. Surely the short, mid & longterm benefits of cleaning up the corruption in that league outweigh any short-term failings in the Champions League by lesser teams. It is remarkable that you would put results above the integrity of the league.
10/05/2008 09:44
The Portuguese FA have made the correct decision. Relegating Porto would of been a disaster for Portuguese football.
Porto would of missed out on Champions League football for at least 1 season leaving Sporting & Benfica to humiliate the nation in Europe like they do every year in Europe's greatest competiton. Our UEFA coefficient would of suffered even more as a result.
The Portuguese FA aren't stupid - just think of all the money that would of been lost in TV revenue, sponsorship and gate receipts. The effects would of devastated Portuguese football for many years.
As for Boavista, the Benfiquistas living in Porto will just have to cheer someone else now won't they?
10/05/2008 09:12
supporters of sporting and benfica would like porto in second division. that's clear but porto DIDN'T buy any matches. Relegation is a punishment for buying not for attemping to buy.
i really can understand that you are not able to deal with fact that porto is right now far away from your clubs but it's result of many factors. sporting cannot pay his players on time and that club wants to be better than porto? don't make me laugh. you can say that pinto da costa is bad but he can build team ready to fight in europe. under his control dragons won more than manchester united in his all history
09/05/2008 23:49
Porto should of gotten the Juventus treatment. Disgusting decision.
09/05/2008 22:46
George,
I am well aware that Porto play the best football in Portugal and no-one is claiming they bought their progress in Europe. Now if this really was an attempt to "bring down Porto and give their clubs a lift" then why was Porto's punishment a token gesture and effectively meaningless, while Boavista's punishment was crippling and ensured them at least a season in the 2nd division? Surely any attempt to level the playing field between the Northern teams and the Southern teams would have resulted in Porto suffering the same fate as Boavista. No I think it's fairly clear here that Porto, as the crown jewel in the Portuguese league were protected from proper punishment because lets face it, relegating Porto would have made a mockery of next season's league championship. I also find it highly ironic that the judgement reached here is, on the face of it, every bit as corrupt as the claims they were investigating. And for clarity here I have no allegiance to any Portuguese team. As a football fan I just found the disparity in punishments to be hugely suspicious and frankly disgustingly favourable towards (co-incidentally) the much bigger team.
Rgds
Brian
09/05/2008 22:29
Just to echo the comments, "Porto are no more corrupt than any other club in Portugal"...Especially Benfica!! If we did wrong, that's understood and we're being punished for it. As for it ONLY being a 6 point deduction, it's not our fault we dominated everyone else in the league so much that we jumped to a 20 point lead. If there were any clubs in Portugal anywhere near our level, maybe that 6 point deduction would have made a difference. The poor Sportinguistas and Benfiquistas need to stop being mad at Porto because their clubs can't play futbol.
09/05/2008 20:44
to George
Marseille, Juventus and AC Milan also won the champions league and have still been considered guilty for corruption.
09/05/2008 20:42
To Brian.
The reason for the different punishment is because Porto and Boavista were in trial for different types of crime.
check for Ricardo Costa (the president of the discipline committee) comments.
However i think the punishments are soft and its a shame only 1 season has been investigated.
This was the "sportjustice" lets wait for the "civil justice" trial.
cheers and sorry for the crappy english :D
09/05/2008 19:45
Brian,
As an English expat living in Portugal for over two decades let me enlighten you. Porto are no more corrupt than most other clubs in Portugal, such as Benfica. They have simply played the best football, are better run, and work harder. That's why they consisently beat all opposition in Portugal and also go further than any other Portuguese team in Europe - or did they supposedly buy 2 Champions Leagues and 1 Uefa Cup as well?
This is an attempt by the powers that be from the capital to bring down Porto and give their clubs a lift. Pinto da Costa is no saint, I admit, and if he'd been found to do wrong he should be punished.
But I repeat he did nothing that lots of other clubs were doing - as the Boavista chairman Joao Loureiro said.
I ask you, strange how only those north of Lisbon are brought to trial?
09/05/2008 19:19
Im very happy on this day. Pinto da Costa must be put in the jail and to stay there. Now football going be fair in Portugal and you going see porto no winning more. Are Porto the best? only at doing crime. Benfica and Sporting will start winning now. Yes porto should be put in Liga Vitalis or three division. but now they not winning no more!
09/05/2008 19:01
Hello there,
I am wondering what the reaction is in Portugal to the news that for very similar crimes, FC Porto and Boavista have been punished in hugely different ways? Porto get a completely meaningless points deduction that still makes them Champions, and Boavista must drop down a division!!!! I find it disgraceful and I am wondering if there is a similar reaction in Portugal to this? Will Boavista be appealing this decision? It is clear that BOTH clubs should be relegated. It appears to me that the Portuguese FA are pandering to FC Porto purely because of their size, and they have no interest in actually seeing justice done. It stinks to heaven and it makes Portuguese football and the Portuguese FA appear to be just as corrupt as the teams in the investigation.