Ethics committee launches inquiry after Corinthians vice clashes with fans | OneFootball

The president of Corinthians’ Ethics and Discipline Committee, Leonardo Pantaleão, has initiated a preliminary procedure to investigate statements attributed to the club’s vice-president, Armando Mendonça, in discussions with fans on social media this Thursday (25). The case was reported by Central do Timão, which investigated whether these statements could lead to any internal consequences for the executive.

The controversy began after Armando Mendonça responded to comments made by fans on one of his posts. During the interactions, the vice-president used phrases such as “and let the thieves stay? No! Never,” and claimed to have “removed the president who was stealing.” These statements quickly gained traction and began circulating on high-profile digital accounts.

In the executive’s post, fans questioned his continued presence at the club and called for his departure. In response, Armando Mendonça countered the criticism, linked his management to the Copa do Brasil victory, and made direct references to alleged illicit practices at Corinthians, without, however, publicly naming names or providing concrete facts.

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Given the repercussions, the Ethics Committee understood that statements attributed to a statutory executive could affect the club’s institutional image, credibility, and the trust of partners, sponsors, and the fanbase itself. Therefore, it decided to open an investigative procedure, with no punitive character at this time.

According to Central do Timão, the purpose of this procedure is to clarify the content, context, and institutional reach of the statements attributed to the vice-president. Also, according to what was found, there is currently no presumption of guilt or anticipation of judgment, but the internal understanding is that statements of this nature, when made by someone in a leadership position, impose an objective duty of institutional clarification.

Armando Mendonça will be summoned to submit a written statement within five days, clarifying whether he acknowledges authorship of the posts, the context in which they were made, and the meaning of the term “thieves” used in the post. If he claims to have knowledge of irregularities at the club, the executive must indicate facts, people involved, and inform whether there was communication through the appropriate institutional channels.

Generic accusations without objective indication of facts may lead to the opening of a disciplinary procedure, a more advanced stage with possible sanctions as provided for in the statute. For now, the procedure is being conducted confidentially, aiming to preserve the image of Corinthians and the rights of the parties involved.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.