Two judges who had been members of Benfica for over 30 and 40 years and had “red passes” asked not to judge Clube da Luz in the civil case in which he is involved, but Carlos Castelo Branco, vice-president of the Lisbon court, refused the appeal because he understood that impartiality was not at stake.
According to Newspaper (JN)One judge defended his position because of the “enormous media coverage of football clubs, the intense scrutiny they are subject to and the frequent police investigations and court cases.”
As for the other magistrate, this is not the first request for a recusal – one was refused, the other was granted because he is also a shareholder in SAD with 200 shares. This time it was based on the excellent, “sometimes hysterical” coverage in the media, which touches on all issues concerning football clubs, in everything related to justice.”
On June 14, the vice-president of the Lisbon Court of Appeal explained that the position of judges “is not comparable to belonging to an association with a small number of members or in which the associated judge can demonstrate a special affinity or associative bond.”
Carlos Castelo Branco also said that having a “red pass” does not interfere with the normal course of the profession. “From the circumstance of being in captivity (…) there is also no special connection with any person associated with the club’s management bodies, everything happens in complete harmony with what happens with another holder of such a captive status,” you can read in the decrees referred to YN.
Author: morning Post
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.