The CNID – Association of Sports Journalists denounced this Wednesday what it considers to be “another anomalous and unacceptable situation in the relationship between clubs and media”, after Benfica’s press officer had refused TVI’s questions on the preview conference for the game with Inter Milan.
«The attitude of Benfica, embodied by the press officer who was at the table next to coach Roger Schmidt, is incorrect, illegal and disrespectful», reads the note from the CNID, in which the organization informs that it has sent «a participation to UEFA and to the Communication Regulatory Entity (ERC), so that legality is restored».
In the statement, the CNID adds that «what Benfica has been doing is unacceptable», not least because the situation «has been happening for several weeks».
It should also be noted that the morefootballfrom the same group as TVI/CNN Portugal, has not had the right to ask questions when present at the press conferences of the coach of the reds.
Here is the statement from the CNID:
The CNID – Association of Sports Journalists denounces yet another anomalous and unacceptable situation in the relationship between Clubs and Media.
At the press conference previewing the Inter-Benfica game, held yesterday afternoon in Milan, an illegality was made clear that the CNID – Association of Sports Journalists, cannot silence: the press officer of Benfica refused without reason the question of a journalist. In this case, TVI.
The attitude of SL Benfica, embodied by the press officer who was at the table next to coach Roger Schmidt, is incorrect, illegal and disrespectful, and therefore follows the participation to UEFA and the Communication Regulatory Entity, in order to restore legality .
It is not the first time that the CNID – Association of Sports Journalists has denounced similar situations. This has the additional gravity of giving a less beautiful image of Portuguese football and one of its great clubs on an international stage. What Benfica has been doing is unacceptable, since, according to our investigations, this situation has been happening for several weeks. In this case it was public and notorious.
The CNID – Association of Sports Journalists calls on clubs to respect the law and the Media, because the greatest damage is always to the image and dignity of the club. And that must be the value that a leader must defend in the first place.
