FC Porto-Sporting: Government says it is ‘monitoring the situation’ | OneFootball

Sporting announced this Saturday that it will request an urgent meeting with the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Margarida Balseiro Lopes, following what it describes as FC Porto’s «repugnant» actions. The controversy arose after an incident in the Sporting handball team’s dressing room at the Dragão Arena, which required medical assistance for Ricardo Costa and Moga, the Lions’ coach and player, respectively.

This Monday, however, and according to Sic Notícias, the Government said that «so far» it has not received any formal request for a meeting from Sporting. Even so, it assured that it is «monitoring the situation» in coordination with the Portuguese Handball Federation.

The Alvalade club’s stance is based on a «toxic and intense smell» of ammonia in the dressing room, just moments before the handball clássico. Ricardo Costa and Christian Moga had to receive medical assistance and were even hospitalized. For Sporting, this episode was the «last straw» and reflects an «escalation» of behavior that, according to the club, shows «a continued, conscious and systematic pattern».

For its part, FC Porto «absolutely, clearly and unequivocally» denied the existence of any incident, rejecting the accusations related to «intense odors» in the visitors’ dressing room. The Dragons had already denied those claims on the day of the match itself, which was played with Sporting under protest.

With this meeting request, the green-and-white club wants «those who regulate sport in Portugal to take a firm and uncompromising stance and punish, with the utmost severity, these unworthy behaviors, which already go beyond the limits of what is admissible in a state governed by the rule of law».

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