Miguel Braga, Sporting’s communication officer, left harsh criticism to the League’s Instructors Committee (CI) for the decision to file Sporting’s request for the drafting of a flagrante delicto report against Pepe, following the controversial move with Coates in the classic .
“What the League’s Instructors answered, basically, is that the images did not show clearly, evidently and unequivocally that an infraction was committed. In other words, this punch that Pepe gives Coates is not a clear punch, nor an obvious one. , not unequivocal for the Instructors of the League. Which immediately leaves me the question: what will be clear and evident? If Pepe enters with a rat in the game? I don’t know. If Coates spurted blood? greater confusion, even more with a League that is chaired by the one who was considered and who was widely said to be the best Portuguese referee. And I wonder what is the educational message that we are passing on to our teams, to our young people, to our children. ‘If you want to be a football player and central, be very naughty and if possible punch the striker in a way that some Instructors don’t even consider is clear, evident and unequivocal'”, he began by telling Sporting TV.
“It’s not in question, nor has it ever been, I’ve been repeating that, Pepe’s quality, what Pepe has already given to Portuguese football and the National Team. It’s not a move that puts that in question, obviously. What’s here in The reason is that there is clear, obvious and unmistakable aggression. There are people in our football who look at this with different eyes. I don’t even understand where it’s trying to go and what message it’s trying to get across to ours, to our children and to people who watch football. It seems that we are all here playing and that Pepe is allowed to do these things on the field. I say again, it is not about Pepe, the person, it is about a player from FC Porto who punched a Sporting player on the chin. We are lucky to have a TV camera that is watching the move up close. He grits his teeth, punches him in the face and this for someone not of course, neither overt nor unequivocal. I would love to know the League lords’ explanation. I think it’s a mens act highly dangerous that we are passing on to everyone, including players who are still in our league and to other levels. Anyone who sees this and realizes that they can do this type of behavior, even images are sent to the League and the Instructors think that this is all normal, this is all surreal! Normal will not be, for sure,” added Miguel Braga.
Feeling a certain impunity?
“A certain impunity is being nice. This is not a certain thing, it is total impunity”
Do not mix with Pepe player
“We shouldn’t put everything in the same bag. We’re not looking at Pepe, at player x or y. We’re looking at a specific move. And I repeat: it makes me very confused that the League Instructors are looking at this and think that this is not a clear, evident and unambiguous move. And if we are going to be aware of referee performances, I think we will also have to be aware of what these League Instructors say in future cases. it seems that it was only with blood and an open fracture that perhaps they thought it was a clear and unambiguous thing. You can’t understand how someone looks at this and says it’s okay.”
Participation in the Disciplinary Board
“Sporting made a statement to the Disciplinary Board about this bid, to give rise to a disciplinary process. Obviously, it is not the summary process, but let’s hope that the Federation’s side, in a more balanced way, will have access to this repetition, if maybe the lords of the League didn’t have it, and tell me about their justice. I think this is a case of elementary justice.”
– .
