FPF disciplinary board drops case against FC Porto after Benfica complaint | OneFootball

The Disciplinary Council (CD) of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) decided to close the disciplinary proceedings brought against FC Porto, following a complaint filed by Benfica concerning incidents that took place during the match between the two teams at the Estádio da Luz on March 8. At issue was the behavior of an FC Porto supporter, who was filmed in the stands displaying an image of a monkey on his phone and making gestures imitating that animal toward Benfica supporters.

According to the CD ruling, “it must be concluded that the investigation produced no evidence that the gesture in question, being an isolated act in the section reserved for visiting supporters, was perceived at the time by any sports official connected to the Defendant. Moreover, not even the League delegates or law enforcement officers appear to have noticed the episode, which is not described in any official report. The Instructors’ Committee rightly concluded that the constituent element of the disciplinary offense imputed to the Defendant was not met, insofar as the mere fact that the club did not later take a public position of repudiation does not amount to the promotion, consent, or tolerance required under Article 113 of the RDLPFP.”

The document adds that the application of Article 113 of the RDLPFP “requires proof that the club promoted, consented to, or tolerated the display of banners, the chanting of racist slogans, or, more generally, any behavior that violates human dignity on the basis of race, language, religion, ethnic origin, gender, or sexual orientation. The mere absence of a later public statement of condemnation or repudiation in response to an isolated act in the stands does not, in itself, satisfy this constituent element.”

The same text also states that “as highlighted in the Final Report of the Instructors’ Committee, the conduct in question is capable of fulfilling the objective elements of the disciplinary offense provided for in Article 187(1)(b) of the RDLPFP (Improper conduct by the public). However, the facts now reported amount to a similar breach of duties by the Defendant, following conduct of the same kind and revealing the same failure by its supporters to internalize those legal-sporting values (discriminatory chants), with reference to the same match, for which it has already been sanctioned in summary proceedings.” This means that FC Porto had already been punished in that match because of chants by its supporters against Benfica.

Benfica may now appeal the decision to the FPF Justice Council or to the Sports Arbitration Court.

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