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“Final Whistle” corruption fall-out: Pinto da Costa to fight ban

Boavista board resign en masse, fearful for club’s future

All of Portugal is still buzzing in the aftermath of Friday’s monumental decisions handed down by the Portuguese League’s Disciplinary Committee. Unprecedented punishments were meted out to FC Porto, Boavista and Uniao de Leiria, as well as all of the teams’ presidents for corruption and the attempt to influence match referees.

The operation known as “Final Whistle” dates back to the 2003/04 season and all three clubs were found guilty of either bribing match officials or attempted bribery. Club presidents Pinto da Costa (FC Porto), Joao Loureiro (Boavista) and Joao Bartolomeu (Leiria) have been forbidden them from having any involvement in the game for two years, four years, and one year respectively.

Boavista – the only club convicted of actual bribery – were the worst hit as they were relegated to the Liga Vitalis (2nd division) next season, while FC Porto and Leiria were given immediate points deductions, although these are largely meaningless as they have no bearing on the final position of either club in the table.

The landmark decisions brought an immediate reaction from the long-standing president of the Portuguese champions, Pinto da Costa, who said no appeal would be made against the club’s penalty but he would be appealling against his own sentence.

“Club’s honour will be salvaged”

“FC Porto will have six points subtracted from the many they have won this season. I have to mention that we have had six points deducted for supposed misdemeanours in a year where we were national champions, European champions and World champions.

“We will not, with all due respect to FC Porto, appeal the loss of these six points. I do not have to explain why because, naturally, we do not need to to explain the reason why as it would upset a lot of people.

“We will not appeal the points deductions and we will still have a 14 or 15 point lead. But FC Porto’s honour will be salvaged because I, personally, as president and a citizen, will appeal on Monday to the Justice Council. After this appeal we will wait to see the truth come out and it will allow us to show there is no reason for FC Porto to have been penalised.”

Boavista fear for future

The same could not be said for Boavista as the decisions have rocked the club to such an extent that the entire board of directors resigned soon after the announcement was made that the club were to go down to the second division as a result of the previous regime’s actions.

The cash-strapped club, led by Joaquim Teixeira, say the decision has dashed hopes of trying to attract investors and help them solve their financial problems, even suggesting the club with over a 100-year history may have to fold altogehter.

“We have contacted the president of the General Assembly to initiate the process of electing a new president. The investors whom we have been speaking to would lose their interest should the club’s punishment to go down a division stand.

“This punishment hugley complicates everything; the institution’s current situation, the debts and the club itself are in deep trouble. We have all resigned to enable someone else to come in who may be able to bring the club back where it needs to be.”


Related: Full list of the corruption sentences and punishments
Your Say: Opinions on the scandal rocking Portuguese football