Disciplinary committee delivers final verdict on Benfica v Estoril | OneFootball

A child, aged 8 at the time, suffered burns at Estádio da Luz in December 2024 while attending the Benfica - Estoril (3-0) match, during the 15th round of the Liga Portugal Betclic. However, the Club - which is preparing a special night - now learns that it will not face any punishment for the damages caused. The justification from the Disciplinary Council is due to the lack of evidence.

"However, the combined analysis of all the evidence produced does not allow us to establish, with the required degree of certainty, the nature of the object that caused the injury, its origin, or even the occurrence of any explosion at the indicated location," reads the dismissal order.

"Indeed, it follows from the records that neither the security forces (PSP), nor the Sports Venue Assistants (ARD), nor the video surveillance records detected any explosion of a pyrotechnic device in the mentioned area (North Stand, level 3) at the time of the occurrence (around 19:23h)," thus stating that the testimonial evidence was "inconclusive."

Despite the injuries suffered by the young boy, the Disciplinary Council questions whether they were indeed caused by "pyrotechnic material." "It is also important to emphasize that the injury sustained does not, in isolation and in the absence of any other physical evidence seized at the site, unequivocally attest that it was caused by pyrotechnic material," it reads, even though the order mentions that the incident is "regrettable."

"Although it is deeply regrettable that an event occurred causing physical injuries to a spectator — a circumstance that appears even more serious as it involves a minor —, the truth is that, given the factual uncertainty arising from the records, the violation of duty is not demonstrated with the necessary degree of certainty."

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