Prime Minister António Costa cited the best practice of video referees in rugby as an example, as well as the values that exist in the sport compared to Portuguese men’s football, stressing that the sport “cannot be a battlefield”.
“The discipline that exists, the correction that exists, but also the way the refereeing operates, because here the VAR acts immediately, reacts immediately and there is an immediate explanation of the referees’ decisions. All this contributes to different climates. And sports. That’s it,” the prime minister said after the end of Portugal’s debut Rugby World Cup game, which he watched and said he came away with great pride.
The head of government also compared the “attitude” towards rugby to women’s football in Portugal, which has proven to have very positive reviews, comparing the Women’s Super Cup recently played between Benfica and Sporting to the men’s Super Cup between Benfica and Porto ” .
“(…) When we saw the Super Bowl [feminina] Between Benfica and Sporting we saw the difference that happened in this game with what is happening. Look, for example, at what happened in the Super Bowl with men’s teams. So I think it’s a rewarding experience,” he added.
In the same context, he considered that women’s football is very similar in values to rugby.
“There is a lot less confusion, a lot less fouls, a lot less discussion, a lot less insults, a lot less anger, a lot of calm,” he stressed.
António Costa recalled that “sport cannot be a battlefield” and that, despite the initiatives and laws presented by the government, it is also essential that self-regulation exists.
“I think there is a contribution from new generations of managers, new generations of coaches and players who are also contributing to improving this environment,” he admitted.
Portugal made their Rugby World Cup debut against Wales on Saturday in a game played in Nice, France, which they lost 28–8.
“At the end I was very touched to see that those who stayed in the stadium and applauded their team were actually Portuguese because they were very proud. (…) Because of the attitude with which the team played the game on the field, as a team and as a team they never gave up. I hope this is a crescendo, now, from now until the end,” he added.
António Costa participated in the first game of the Wolves, in a schedule that also includes the next games of the President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the President of the Assembly of the Republic Augusto Santos Silva and the deputy minister Ana Catarina Mendes.