The president of the Portuguese Olympic Committee fears the controversy over the granting of citizenship to Pedro Pablo Pichardo will harm the processes of other athletes, condemning a “change of attitude” at naturalization services.
In an interview with Lusa, José Manuel Constantino revisited the controversy involving the reigning Olympic triple jump champion and Nelson Évora, the 2008 Beijing gold medalist, and spoke about Pichardo’s latest statements to the Record newspaper, in which he regretted that Portugal, athletics is not valued and in which he discusses his dispute with Benfica.
“Having reached this point, I am convinced that Pedro Pichardo will leave Portugal. He will not change his citizenship – this is my belief, I may be wrong – but he will leave Portugal. He will probably look for a club that pays well.” , because, in the meantime, the relationship with Benfica is connected with the relationship with the coordinator of the Olympic project. [Ana Oliveira], this is the worst possible. They can’t see each other. And Benfica never had the opportunity to overcome this situation,” he noted.