Bare feet at FC Porto-Benfica: board fines Dragons €3,060 | OneFootball

The Disciplinary Board (CD) of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) fined FC Porto 3,060 euros, equivalent to 30 units of account, for failing to comply with organizational and safety duties. The decision, approved unanimously, stems from shortcomings detected in the access control of Benfica supporters at the Estádio do Dragão during the Portuguese Cup quarter-final played on January 14.

The case originated from a complaint by Benfica’s SAD, which alleged “discriminatory” and “humanly degrading” treatment toward its supporters. At issue was the excessive delay in entering the stadium, which caused hundreds of Benfica fans to miss the entire first half of the match, as well as the requirement for many of them, including children and elderly people, to remove their shoes outside the stadium, on a wet or damp surface, during the security search.

In its defense, FC Porto argued that the delay in entry was solely the responsibility of Benfica and its supporters, alleging that they arrived late at the meeting point and that disorder was caused by a group that tried to force its way through on the staircase. The Dragons justified the shoe inspection as a necessary and proportionate security measure, supported by PSP recommendations, given the history of pyrotechnics being thrown from that stand toward the lower sections. The blue-and-white club also invoked a conflict of duties, arguing that, faced with the impossibility of ensuring both quick access and total security due to the visitors’ delay, it chose to prioritize its duty of safety.

In its analysis, the CD concluded that, although the shoe inspection was, in abstract terms, admissible given the increased risk of pyrotechnics, FC Porto failed by not ensuring “minimum conditions of comfort” for spectators. Even more serious, in the CD’s view, was the management of the flow of people entering at the top of the staircase. It was established that the first line of stewards was releasing supporters very slowly toward the search points, leaving control posts empty while hundreds of people remained stuck on the stairs for around two hours.

The ruling now made public notes that this conduct was classified as “conscious negligence,” since the organizer ignored several warnings from the security forces to speed up the process.

In setting the fine, the CD also took into account FC Porto’s repeat offending in serious breaches related to the organization of sporting events during the season that has since ended.

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